When Hope is Lost
by Alwayssg1
Summary: Post Infinity War, our heroes have to face a world that is reeling. Romangers with a side of Pepperony.
1. Chapter 1

**I know everyone is writing post Infinity War stories right now, and I have read some really amazing ones. I seriously tried to talk myself out of writing one, because I didn't really know if I had anything new to bring to the table. But, the muse had other plans.**

 **I am going on the theory that Avengers 4 picks up 5 years after Infinity War and basically undoes the damage with time travel. This story will cover those throw away years. Unapologetically, Romangers with a side of Pepperony. Hope you enjoy the story.**

 **I own nothing. All characters belong to Marvel.**

 **3 Minutes after the Snap**

Natasha ran to Steve's side. She was relieved he was still there. So many people had turned to dust before her eyes and all she could think about was her family. That's what she, Steve, Sam, and Wanda had truly become over the last few years-a mixed up dysfunctional family.

When the Wakandan soldiers to her left and right turned to ash before her eye, she feared Steve was lost. Not that she wasn't worried for the others but Steve was the one who held them together. She didn't know how she'd survive if he had been taken from her.

Steve was in anguish as he knelt over Vision's body. Natasha knew what he was thinking. They had all failed, but he was blaming himself. A quick look around at the others who were with her told her everything she needed to know. Sam, Wanda, Bucky, and T'Challa were gone. They would be standing here otherwise, because this was where Steve was and no matter what had happened over the last two years, he was their leader.

Natasha felt ill. She thought she was going to be sick. This wasn't how this battle was supposed to end. Thanos had filled his gauntlet. What did that mean for Tony, Peter, and the sorcerer they were trying to rescue? Clint's picture came to her mind. She thought of Laura and the kids. It was too much. She doubled over beside Steve as she succumbed to the inevitable need to vomit.

She felt a hand suddenly on her back as she remained in her position, suddenly too weak to move and ashamed she hadn't been able to hold it together. She didn't need to look up to know it was Steve.

Minutes may have passed or it could have been hours, but she just stayed there with his hand caressing her back. Speaking meant acknowledging what had just happened. None of them were ready to do that just yet. Opening her eyes meant looking at a world too broken to fix. Going back to the palace meant discovering more who had been lost-more they hadn't been able to save.

Finally, Okoye spoke. "We can't stay here any longer. My king is gone. His people need to know his fate. Come, we must regroup."

They all followed Okoye wordlessly. Natasha couldn't help but admire the warrior's strength. If someone had asked her a day ago, she'd have believed she had the same strength. But, now, she wasn't so sure. It would have been so much easier if she had just turned to dust like the others. Wanda was so young. Sam was so full of life. T'challa was a good man and a good leader. And, Bucky, well, she would gladly trade her life for his right now. He was the one Steve needed to get through this horror, and she wasn't sure any of them would survive if Steve couldn't pull them back together.

Natasha followed Steve, her eyes focused on his back. She could see the slump of his shoulders. She noticed the way he refused to fully look up, choosing to keep his eyes downcast toward his feet as he walked slowly to the palace.

Bruce started out a little behind her with Thor and the racoon type creature, but he took a few long strides until they were walking side by side. She felt his eyes on her. She knew he was looking at her with the same intensity she was looking at Steve. It hurt so much. She knew now that it wasn't his fault he left her, but three years had made her realize a few things. She only hoped he had come to the same realizations.

Rhodey, ever the military man, chose to fly ahead of them. Natasha understood his reasoning. He needed to know what was happening everywhere else, and he wasn't going to find those answers on the battlefield. Natasha felt no such urgency. If Clint and the family were gone, she wasn't ready to know. If the world had lost Nick Fury, she would grieve for him later. Right now, she couldn't handle even one more loss.

They were met by Shuri when they arrived at the palace. She barely looked at them. She was too busy scanning the line of Avengers and Wakandan warriors in search of her brother. Her eyes finally focused on Okoye who just gently shook her head.

"No, he must be out there somewhere," she cried.

"Our king turned to dust before my eyes," Okoye replied sadly. "Your mother?"

Shuri shook her head. "Gone."

"We need time to grieve. There is nothing more we can do today. Shall I find rooms for our guests?"

Shuri only nodded as Okoye led the remaining Avengers to their rooms. "Captain, you can take this room," Okoye said softly as they reached the first door.

Steve walked into the room in silence, and Natasha followed him. "I'm staying with Steve," she said as she looked at the others. She wished she hadn't seen the hurt on Bruce's face as she closed the door behind them, but she knew this was where she needed to be after what they'd just experienced.

Steve turned to look at her as soon as the door had closed. She knew he was asking her why she was there even though he couldn't formulate the words.

"I didn't want you to be alone," she said softly. "I don't want to be alone."

Steve nodded and pulled her into a hug, and they cried together. The television in the room stayed off. Neither of them were willing to see the full extent of their failure. The room had grown dark by the time they were able to let go of each other. Finally, Steve turned on a lamp and sighed. "We should get cleaned up. You go first. We'll figure this out tom-" he stopped. "We'll do what we can-" he stopped again. "I really don't know if we can fix this, Nat."

"Me either," she replied softly.

"I'm glad you're here. If I'd lost you too-"

"You didn't. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere," she assured him.

"I'm going to hold you to that," he said as he pushed a strand of her blonde hair out of her face.

Once they had each washed the grime of the battlefield away and eaten the meal delivered to them, they crawled into bed as if they shared a bed every night. There was no awkwardness and no conversation. They just pulled the blanket over them and hoped the utter exhaustion from the battle would allow them to sleep a long, dreamless sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**2 Hours past Snap**

"I don't have time to go traipsing across the galaxy. I need to get to Earth," Tony complained.

"My ship, my decision where we go" Nebula replied. "I could have left you on Titan."

"And, I am really grateful you didn't but we need to fix this, and I can't fix anything from here."

"But, you believe you can fix it on Earth? Stark, you're a fool. Thanos had to have every stone to accomplish his goal. Your planet has likely fallen, just like Xandar."

"Okay, let me try a different approach. The woman I love is on Earth. There's a fifty-fifty chance she is still alive. I have to get to her. Will you take me to her, please? I'm begging and I'm willing to pay."

"I will take you to Earth-"

"Thank you!"

"After I go to Vormir and pay respects to my sister's memory."

"She's already dead. Can't you pay respects after you take me home?"

"I will not wait to see where my sister has fallen," Nebula insisted. "Gamora traded her life for mine. If she hadn't told Thanos about Vormir, he would have killed me."

"And, if she hadn't led him to the soul stone, half the galaxy would still be alive."

"We are going to Vormir. Speak again and I'll leave you there."

 **6 Hours post Snap**

Rhodey just sat there staring at the screen. It was a nightmare. The president was alive, but so many other world leaders were just gone. China, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East had all irrupted into complete chaos. In France, there was wailing in the streets. New York, Los Angeles, and Memphis had looters and protesters in the streets.

Rhodey huffed. "They don't even know why they're protesting. Idiots. They're just acting like fools. Destroying their cities isn't going to bring anyone back."

He looked down at his phone. He had turned the ringer off after his encounter with Ross. He knew he needed to check in with someone, but he honestly didn't know who to contact. Ross was dust. That was at least one thing Rhodey wouldn't be losing any sleep over. He thought about Tony. His best friend was either dead or out there somewhere in the cosmos. He needed to check on Pepper.

The phone rang three times before Pepper answered. "Rhodey?" she asked in a soft voice. "Please tell me it's you."

"It's me. It's good to hear your voice, Pepper. Anything from Tony?"

" No," Pepper said sadly.

"I'm glad you're still here, Pepper. I'm sure Tony is doing everything in his power to come back to you if-"

"I'm sure he is if-" Pepper paused. "I can't even say it. Happy's gone. He was driving me to a meeting. The car crashed after he just disappeared into a cloud of dust. I'm okay. I just have a few scrapes and bruises, but this is just unbelievable. What happened, Rhodey?"

"We lost. We couldn't stop Thanos and he ended everything with a snap of his fingers. Thor saw it happen. He almost defeated him, but almost didn't save half the people in the universe."

"Who's left?"

"Cap, but he's in bad shape. We all are, I guess, but I've never seen him like this. Widow is with him. Thor and Bruce are still alive. T'challa's gone, but several of his key people are here. It was bad, Pepper. I've seen a lot of horrible things. Nothing even comes close to what we just witnessed."

 **11 Hours post Snap**

Steve looked over at Natasha. She was still lying on her back, but her breathing wasn't slow enough or steady enough for her to be sleeping. Neither of them had slept for long at a time, but they hadn't spoken since they went to bed.

He was a little surprised when she announced she was staying with him. Bruce was back. They'd only had a short conversation on the quinjet, but now Natasha knew it was the Hulk who left her. She should be with Bruce right now, but he was so grateful she was lying next to him. She was right. Neither of them needed to be alone.

Over the last few years, he had realized how lonely the world was for people like them. He was a man out of time. She was a woman who'd left everything she knew behind. They were a lot more alike than they were different. He had searched for her nonstop for three months after she let him and Bucky escape, but, in the end, he didn't find her. She found him in a little café in Paris, and she joined his little group of wanderers. They'd done some good. Steve honestly didn't mind being on the run, because Natasha always had a plan.

She thought he was the leader, but he knew the truth. Ross would have found them and thrown them in the raft if it weren't for her. She mothered all of them, especially Wanda. She was constantly aware of their surroundings, and he trusted her gut. When Natasha said it was time to go, they went. If she thought a mission was too risky, he listened.

Steve already missed the life they'd built. Sam and Wanda were gone. Bucky was gone. Vision lay on a stretcher in Shuri's lab, covered in a sheet. He was gone even if none of them wanted to admit it quite yet. And, Tony, Tony was probably lost as well. They hadn't even gotten to really make peace, and now it was too late.

"You're thinking too loud," Natasha said as she turned on her side to face him.

"I guess I probably am," Steve admitted. "There's a lot to think about."

"You know we can't fix this, right? I don't see any scenario where everything goes back to normal."

"Me either, but, if there's a way to avenge them-"

"We'll do it or die trying," Natasha replied.

"You should call Clint."

"I know," Natasha agreed, "but I don't think I can do it yet. What are the odds of all five of them being alive?"

Steve didn't answer. There was no need. They both knew the Barton family had lost someone. Everyone in the universe had lost someone. "I'm sorry."

"This is not your fault."

"It sure feels like my fault. If I'd just signed the accords, maybe that one hand on the wheel would have been enough. If I'd told Tony the truth-"

"It wouldn't have stopped a mad titan bent on killing half the universe," she said softly. "We did our best. It just wasn't enough this time."

"We should probably just get up and see what we can do to help," Steve sighed, "but I'm not sure I have the strength."

"Then we stay right here until you're ready."

"You don't have to stay. If you need to see Bruce, you should go to him."

"I'm where I need to be right now. Bruce is a good man, but he's not my family. You might be all the family I have left, Steve. I meant what I said. I'm not going anywhere."

"But you love him, Nat, and he's here. He's alive."

"I don't love Bruce the way I thought I did, Steve. I'm glad he's alive, but he isn't the one I was searching for when the world was falling apart. I was looking for you."

"We probably should have had this discussion before we lost half the universe. I don't think I can be what you need, Nat, not after this."

"I'm not asking you to be anything. I'm just passing on necessary information, Steve. Whatever we are, whoever we choose to be to each other, this is where I want to be and that isn't going to change."

"We have what we have when we have it," Steve replied.

"And, we just do our best to hold on to it for as long as we can."

"I don't deserve you, but I'm to weak to argue," Steve whispered.

"Good, because this isn't negotiable, soldier. I'm here. You are not going to be alone," Natasha said just as softly. She put her hand on his cheek. "We will get through this, Steve, but the team needs their leader. The world needs Captain America more than ever."

Steve sighed. "I think it's time to get out of bed. We need to get some information. We should see where we are most needed and try and do something."

"There he is," Natasha smiled softly, "there's my captain."

They found the others already sitting together in the command center. "What do we know about the rest of the world?" Steve asked, trying his best to look composed.

"It's bad out there. Looting is a major problem in most of the major cities. Several world leaders are gone. It's mass chaos," Rhodey answered. "Ross is gone. I just spoke with the president. He's granting you full pardons. He needs us in D.C. as soon as possible."

Steve looked at Natasha. She nodded. "It's as good a place as any to start," she replied.

"I checked on Pepper. She's alive, but there's still no sign of Tony," Rhodey added. "Have you talked to Barton or Lang?"

"No," Steve replied, "but it's probably time."

Natasha pulled her phone from her pocket and stared at it a moment before dialing the familiar number. Every eye was on her as they waited. "No answer," she said as she closed the phone.

"That doesn't mean they're gone," Steve whispered.

"It means something. Try Lang."

Again, there was no answer. Steve sighed. "We should get ready to leave. We'll stop at the farm and Lang's house on the way. We need to know for sure."

"I will travel with you to your capital, but I must soon go in search of what is left of my fellow Asgardians. Rabbit, will you join us?"

Rocket nodded. "I don't exactly have anywhere else to be right now."

Steve was still in deep conversation with Rhodey when he saw Bruce approach Natasha. "Can we talk privately for a minute?"

Natasha looked at Steve. He nodded, assuring her he would be alright for the next few minutes. "Sure Bruce. Let's talk."

 **And, that's chapter 2. We still have to finish dealing with the aftermath before we can get to the real story, but I have it planned out for the most part. Thanks for reading.**

.


	3. Chapter 3

Natasha followed Bruce into the garden. They found a bench facing the direction of the battlefield. Natasha sighed as she looked out over the previously untouched field. It was no longer lush and green. The scars were visible. Abandoned weapons of soldiers who'd fallen or turned to dust littered the landscape. The grass was trampled. There were ruts in the ground. Thanos' army had taken the beauty away just as he had taken half of all life.

Bruce must have seen the sadness in her eyes, because he gently took her hand into his own and sighed. "It was awful," he acknowledged. "I'm not even sure where to start. Rebuilding isn't as easy as just building something from scratch. Sometimes you have to wonder whether it's a good idea to even try."

Natasha looked at him. She knew he was no longer talking about the damage Thanos had done. He was talking about them. "Bruce, it wasn't your fault. If anyone is to blame, it's me. I thought we needed the Hulk to beat Ultron. It's all on me. It was my call that stole three years of your life."

"I still blame the Hulk. He kept control of my body for so long. He stranded me on a planet and fought as a gladiator, Nat." Natasha winced but he continued. "When I came back to myself, you were my first thought. When it all fell apart yesterday, all I could think about was you."

"Bruce-"

"It's okay that you don't feel the same. I just wanted you to know. No matter what happened between us, I did love you. I still do. It's kind of ironic in a way. Before Ultron, Steve talked to me about you. He told me to go for it, said he'd seen you flirt up close. He thought he had waited too long. Now, it seems I'm the one who missed my chance."

"Steve and I aren't what you think. We trained the new team together for a year after you left. We got close. When we were on the run, we depended on each other for everything. I did care about you, Bruce. None of it was a lie. I missed you so much. Steve helped me through it, but Steve and I aren't lovers."

"You let him escape," Bruce said with a hint of bitterness in his voice. "I looked up the details on why you were on the run. You became a fugitive for him."

"I did what I thought was right."

"You ran away with him, but you couldn't run way with me. You may not be intimate with him but you do love him. Does he know?"

"It's complicated. I guess I implied it, but now isn't the time. The world is in shambles. Whatever is between Steve and I will just have to wait. For what it's worth, I am sorry, Bruce."

"Me too. But, I'm not angry. Even if I were, my relationship with the other guy is a little complicated at the moment, too. I guess we both need to figure out how to uncomplicate things. I don't suppose there's any chance you'll decide this thing with Steve is to complicated to fix, is there?"

"It wouldn't change anything between you and I, Bruce. My feelings for Steve weren't planned, but they are strong. I don't think getting over them is an option for me."

"I miss your friendship, Nat. Can we still have that after everything else?"

"I want to be your friend, Bruce. I didn't expect it to end this way."

"Good, tell him how you feel. Don't wait for a better time. Don't just assume he knows. Take what happiness you can get."

"I'll do my best. Thank you, Bruce," Natasha replied before kissing him on the cheek.

 **29 Hours post Snap**

They took a westward route out of Wakanda and stopped in the city by the bay. Only Steve and Natasha walked to Scott's door. Steve knocked but there was no answer.

Natasha scanned the porch. She immediately picked up the lone flowerpot and handed Steve the key that rested beneath it. "Pretty disappointing for an ex con turned security expert," Natasha sighed, "but, at least, we don't have to knock down the man's door."

Steve nodded as he put the key in the lock. They didn't have to go far to find someone. On the couch lay a sleeping little girl. Natasha knelt beside the child and gently nudged her. "Cassie," she said in a soothing voice, "we're friends of your father."

"Are you here to take me to my dad?" Cassie asked.

Natasha looked at Steve then back at the child. "We were hoping we'd find him here. I'm sorry."

"He's gone, like Mom and Jim, isn't he?" Cassie's swollen eyes filled with a fresh set of tears. "They just disappeared right in front of me. I didn't know what to do, so I got on my bike and came here. Dad wasn't home. I hoped he was with the Avengers or his partner trying to make things right again."

"I'm sorry, Cassie," Steve said as he knelt beside both of them. "Is there somewhere we can take you? Grandparents or an aunt or uncle?"

Cassie shook her head. "They were all I had."

"Cassie, do you have things here?" Natasha asked softly.

"Upstairs."

"Go pack a bag. We aren't leaving you alone." Once Cassie had gone out of sight, Natasha looked at Steve. "I wonder how many other children are facing what Cassie's facing right now. We need to get to the farm, Steve. What if Clint and Laura are gone? The kids shouldn't need to be alone. Nathaniel is barely three. What if he's the only one left?"

"We will. Don't worry, Nat. We'll make sure they aren't alone. What do we going to do with Cassie?"

"Lang was one of us. We owe him. She's going with us," Natasha said firmly.

Steve nodded. "Okay, Nat. She's going with us."

 **32 Hours post Snap**

The farm looked the same as it had the only other visit Steve had made. He scanned the perimeter as they walked towards the house hoping for signs of life. He found none.

Natasha hung back a little, but Steve wasn't surprised. She expected the worse. She was mentally preparing herself for what would be the hardest loss she'd felt yet.

The front door was unlocked. Steve knocked as he entered. If the house was empty as they feared, no one would answer anyway. Rhodey was just a step behind him. He seemed hesitant to just walk inside, but, of course. Rhodey hadn't ever been to the farm. He didn't know how welcoming Laura was or how excited the children would be to have War Machine in their home. Thor went straight to the barn in hopes of finding the archer tinkering with a piece of equipment, while Rocket kept Cassie company on the quinjet.

Bruce was looking back at Natasha from the porch. Steve was grateful she'd chosen not to rush straight inside. He was even grateful Bruce seemed to be keeping his eyes on her. Someone needed to watch her, and this time it couldn't be him.

Steve needed to find the answers Natasha needed. That was his job right now. If Clint was gone, the news would come from him. He just hoped he would have good news for Natasha. Steve gave Bruce a nod. He hoped Bruce understood he was to keep her away.

"Clint, are you here?" He called. No one answered. He walked up the stairs. The children's rooms were empty. He walked further down the hall to the bedroom Clint shared with Laura. The door was ajar so he pushed it open. That's when he heard the sobbing.

Steve followed the sobs to the master bathroom. Clint was sitting in the floor. His razor lay beside him along with the hair he had shaved to produce the crooked mohawk he now sported. A few nicks on his head still oozed blood, and more blood droplets were on the sink, tub, and floor. In Clint's hands was a family photograph that couldn't have been taken long before the snap. Clint didn't even look up to acknowledge Steve's presence. He just wept.

Steve knelt beside his friend. "All of them?" he asked softly.

Clint nodded. "Laura was holding Nathaniel. He went first. She was still screaming when she-" Clint paused. "I didn't see it happen to Cooper or Lila. They were on their bikes. The bikes were still there. My kids-"

Steve put his arm around his friend and sat beside him on the floor. "I'm sorry, Clint. We failed."

Clint looked around. He finally noticed Rhodey standing silently by the door. "You here to arrest me again?" he shouted bitterly. "I should have been there. I should have been fighting for my family, not watching them die!"

Rhodey looked down but remained silent. "I'm the one to blame, Clint," Steve insisted. "Blame me. Rhodey followed the law, a terrible law, but the law of the land. He fought at our side against Thanos. He even stood up to Ross. Don't blame Rhodey, Clint. It won't bring them back." Steve paused, "We need each other now, all of us. The Accords don't matter anymore. Who sided with who means nothing after yesterday."

Clint sobbed again. "Where's Nat?"

"She's here. I wanted to find you first. When you didn't answer your phone, we feared the worst. Let's get you cleaned up. Can you manage?"

Clint nodded. "I'll stay close," Rhodey assured Steve before looking at Clint, "if you don't mind." Clint just shrugged. "Go talk to Widow. She'll need some warning."

"Thank you," Steve replied.

Steve found Natasha on the couch. Bruce was hovering near her. When he saw Steve, he stood up. "I'll give you a minute."

Once he was gone, Steve took his place beside Natasha. "Clint is upstairs."

"Just Clint?" Natasha asked quietly. Steve nodded and put his arms around her as she cried.

 **I feel like I should give a spoiler warning for Antman and the Wasp and the finale of season 5's Agents of Shield before continuing. Certain aspects from the end credits scene of Antman and the Wasp and Phil Coulson's condition during season 5 play prominently into this story. Thanks for taking the time to read this one.**


	4. Chapter 4

**78 Hours post Snap**

After a meeting with the president and a press conference assuring the people of Earth that the Avengers would do everything in their power to bring Thanos to justice, the few remaining Avengers, Rocket, and Cassie finally arrived at the Avenger's Compound.

Pepper met them in the living room. The pump knot on her head was still very visible, and it was obvious she had been crying. But, Pepper was most comfortable when she was doing something proactive. As soon as greetings and condolences were out of the way, she got straight to business.

"You did a good job with the press conference. People need to believe the Avengers are working on the problem. Hopefully, it'll help with some of the unrest," she said before stopping to take a breath. "The president made a good call not sending you to the streets. It's better if the police and the National Guard try to keep the peace. They need to believe you are forming a plan against Thanos.

But, the world is grieving and they don't even know how to process what just happened. I think we need to do a memorial service for the fallen Avengers, a very public one. Besides giving people an example of how to grieve properly, we need it for ourselves." She paused again. "I think it's what Tony would have done."

Steve nodded. "You're right. Tony would have done whatever he could to bring the civil unrest to an end. I think we should do it."

No one objected to the idea, so Pepper pulled out her notes. She hadn't slept much since the snap, so she had the memorial service basically planned. She looked at Steve. "You should give the eulogy. You were the leader before things went south."

"I'll do whatever you want me to do, Pepper. I didn't get to make peace with Tony. I have to live with that for the rest of my life. If you need me for anything, I'll be there."

"I don't want to dwell on the past, Captain. It won't help. What happened between you and Tony was horrible, but it doesn't matter anymore," Pepper replied. "He made you something. He knew the day would come when the world would need you to fight together again. It's in his lab. Would you like to see it?"

"I would. Thank you, Pepper."

While the others settled into their rooms for the night, Pepper led Steve along the familiar path to Tony's lab. Sitting on a workbench in the corner was a new shield. "Tony spent hours on it," Pepper said as she handed it to Steve. "He made it a little lighter, more aerodynamic. He spent hours pouring over his father's original design trying to decide what he should tweak and what he should leave the same."

Steve touched the shield almost reverently. "I can't accept this, Pepper. I don't deserve it. I should have trusted Tony enough to tell him what Hydra had made Bucky do myself. I failed him."

"You failed each other, Steve. You were both alpha males who had to be right, and, in the end, it made you both wrong. Tony cried when he came back from the raft. We weren't together then but he showed up on my doorstep in tears. I'd never seen him like that. Tony blamed himself for the torture the others were being put through, especially what they were doing to poor Wanda.

He's the one who warned Natasha they were going to arrest her. He couldn't stand the idea of her being arrested, and he's the one who sent you the coordinates. Tony knew you'd get them out."

"I think part of me always knew Tony sent those to me. I miss him, Pepper. I missed all of you. I just wish I could talk to him one more time."

"Me too," Pepper replied. "Tony and I were talking just before the first attack. He'd had a dream that we had a son. He said it felt so real. I laughed at him and told him we weren't expecting. I was wrong, Steve. After the accident, I went to the emergency room. I'm pregnant."

Steve pulled Pepper into a hug. "I'm glad you'll still have a part of him. If things had gone differently, I'd have been there when Howard became a father. I would have been around to watch Tony grow up. If you'll let me, I want to be there for his child. I want to tell him what a great man his father was and how his grandfather helped change my life."

"I was hoping you'd say that, Steve, because I want you to go back to leading the Avengers. I'm raising Tony's child here. I want him to know why his father was willing to sacrifice his life." She paused to wipe the tears from her eyes. "I don't think I really understood why he couldn't give up being Ironman until the last few days. This is the kind of thing he wanted to prevent. He was a hero. You all are in my book. Finish what he started, please."

Steve finally walked Pepper to her room. It was getting late, and the last few days had been hard. No one had slept much. The compound was quiet. He had only his guilt to keep him company.

When he opened the door to his old room, the light was already turned on and Natasha was dressed for bed. She was laying on top of the covers on the same side of the bed she'd slept on at the palace. He couldn't help but stare.

"Everyone is settled. I put Cassie in my room. It didn't seem right to put her in the rooms of anyone we lost. I introduced her to Friday. She knows to just tell Friday if she needs me. I told Friday to let me know if Clint had a nightmare, too. I'm rambling. Please say something, even if it's 'get out'. I just-"

"It's okay, Nat. You don't have to leave," Steve assured her.

"Good, because I don't think I could sleep in Wanda's room. I feel so numb."

"Me too. Pepper was right. We need the memorial service," Steve said as he stepped into the bathroom to change. He left the door cracked so they could continue their conversation. "She wants me to lead the Avengers again from right here. Tony made me a new shield before all this happened."

"So, we're staying," Natasha replied. "I think that's a good thing, don't you?"

"Well, it's what Pepper asked me to do and I owe it to Tony to look out for her and his child."

"His child?"

"She's pregnant. I have to stay."

"And, I told you, I'm not leaving you're side. If you stay, I stay."

Steve exited the bathroom and crawled into bed. "Good, because I can't do it without you." He turned off the light and was silent for a moment. "Eventually, we are probably going to have to talk about a few things."

"Eventually, we will but not tonight."

"Tomorrow, we figure out how to say goodbye to those we lost. But, soon, we are going to have to talk. You have to know how I feel about you, but I meant what I said. I can't be what I could have been to you before things fell apart, Nat. If I hadn't turned us into fugitives, we would have fought at Tony's side. He would be here to raise his child. You deserve to be with someone who isn't responsible for destroying the world. If you decide to go back to Bruce, I'll understand."

"Are you serious right now? Bruce? I know you don't want me to be with Bruce. He told me about your little conversation a few years ago. You thought you were being so noble. You were being a coward, Steve. No, you are not who you were a week ago, but do you honestly think I'm who I was a week ago? Wanda's gone. Laura and the kids are gone, Steve. Clint is barely hanging on. I just need to feel something other than this numbness, and the only time I feel even halfway like things are going to be okay is when I'm with you." Natasha turned on the lamp and started to get out of bed. "This is crazy. I'm just going to-"

Steve grabbed her arm. "No, don't go." He pulled her to him and crushed his mouth against hers. She responded immediately and the kiss intensified. It wasn't gentle. It was just two people trying to feel something other than grief. Steve began working his way down her neck. Finally, realizing what he was doing, Steve stopped. "Not like this."

Natasha pulled his face back to her own. "Exactly like this. I won't break, Steve." Steve returned to her embrace.

The sun was streaming through the window. It was still early. Steve looked to his side. Natasha was fast asleep. The blanket had slipped down to her waist. What kind of a monster was he? She deserved tenderness. He had always thought if they were ever in this position it would be about a new beginning, not just a distraction from the turmoil.

Natasha must have felt him staring at her, because she opened her eyes and looked into his own. "Awake already, soldier?"

"I guess sleep isn't going to come easy for awhile," Steve replied. "I don't think an apology is enough, but I'm sorry about last night. It was a mistake."

Natasha turned on her side to face him. He could see her defenses appearing before his eyes. "Mistake? You think what we did was a mistake."

"Yes, look at us, Nat. We're both so lost in grief. Last night wasn't what it should have been, what it could have been. That wasn't love making. It was anger, guilt, and maybe even fear. You have to see that. I shouldn't have pulled you back into my bed."

Natasha pulled the blanket around her and reached for her clothes. "If you don't know what last night was about, Steve, then you're right. It was a mistake." She dressed quickly and stood to leave.

"Nat, please don't go. We need to talk about this."

"Eventually, we will," she repeated her words from the night before, "but not right now."

As she walked out the door, Steve sighed. He'd even managed to fumble his apology. She was angry, and she had every right to stay that way. But, he already missed her presence.

Natasha had used her extremely early departure from Steve's bed to dye her hair back to red. She was angry. Last night may not have been about love for Steve, but it certainly had been for her. No, it wasn't gentle love making. It was raw, as raw as their emotions were over their losses, but it certainly wasn't bad. She sighed. This was not the way she expected the morning to go.

"Ms. Romanoff, Miss Lang is awake and asking for you," Friday informed her as she was finishing getting ready for the day.

"Tell her I'm on my way, Friday."

Natasha collected Cassie from her room, and they walked to the kitchen. "Your hair is different. I like the red," the child informed her.

"Thank you. I decided to go back to my natural color. Your dad and Clint made deals so they could stay with their families. The rest of us had to hide. I bleached my hair."

"And, Captain America grew a beard," Cassie added. "I'm glad my daddy didn't go on the run. He would look funny in a beard," she giggled.

Natasha saw the exact moment Cassie realized she had referred to her dad in a teasing tone. The child's eyes teared up. "You know it is ok to laugh at the idea of your dad in a beard. It's okay to smile when you have a good memory or think of something funny your parents did. It's as much a part of grieving as crying."

"Thank you, Ms. Black Widow."

"Anytime, Cassie, but if you're going to stay here with us, you can't call us Captain America and Black Widow all the time. My name is Natasha. People I really like are allowed to call me Nat. You want to try that out for size."

"Ms. Nat, what's for breakfast?"

"Better, but lose the Ms., and how about cereal?"

"Cereal is good, but I'm not allowed to call grown ups by just their first name. Can I call you Aunt Nat?"

Natasha's breath caught in her throat, saying yes felt like a disloyalty to Cooper, Lila, and Nathaniel. She didn't get the chance to answer, because Clint walked into the kitchen. He must have seen the pain in her eyes, and she could definitely see the torment in his own.

Clint looked at Cassie. "How old are you?"

"Ten."

"My son was just a little older than you. If he were here, he'd tell you Aunt Nat is the best aunt in the world. I think he'd appreciate knowing you were looking out for his Aunt Nat."

Natasha and Clint exchanged another pained expression, and he pulled her into a hug. "She lost everything, too. It's okay to let her call you Aunt Nat," he whispered. "I know you aren't trying to replace them."

They were still hugging when Cassie tugged on Clint's shirt. "What do you want me to call you?"

"Tell you what, you can call me Uncle Clint. I've never been an uncle. Why don't you just consider all of us your aunts and uncles, okay?"

"Okay, Uncle Clint. I think that would be okay with my mom and dad and Jim."

Natasha handed Cassie a box of Lucky Charms. While the girl was pouring her breakfast, Natasha looked at Clint. "Maybe you two can help each other. You lost more than the rest of us."

"We all lost a lot. The only thing that will help me is revenge, but we should try to help the kid," Clint replied as he took the cereal box from Cassie. "I bet Cap will be happy to see that red hair again." Natasha frowned. "What? Did I misjudge the situation. Laura was always better at that stuff than me. You two have just been so inseparable, I assumed-"

"It's complicated."

"Of course it is," Clint sighed, "need to talk about it?"

"Not in front of Cassie."

"Oh, it's that kind of complicated."

"What's that kind of complicated?" Steve asked as he entered the room.

"Nothing," Natasha replied a little too sharply.

"You look nice," Steve replied. "You went red, and I haven't seen you in a skirt in a long time."

"Didn't have much use for them on the run. I'm glad Tony didn't get rid of my things. Pepper and I have to go finish the arrangements for the memorial service. You got Cassie?"

"I do," Steve replied. "Any chance we could talk privately for a minute? I think I did a poor job of apologizing."

"I think you did, too. And, no, I need to go find Pepper."

"Can we talk later?"

"Eventually," Natasha replied as she left the kitchen.

 **100 Hours Post Snap**

Phil Coulson was weak. He didn't have much time. Melinda was gone. One minute, they were sitting on a beach drinking mai tais, and the next, Melinda was vanishing before his eyes.

When he realized it had been a worldwide phenomenon, he knew what he had to do with his final days. It had taken more time to get to his destination than usual, since he had no access to a quinjet. Flying commercial was bad enough when the world wasn't in anarchy, but finally he had made it.

Phil rang the doorbell. The A.I. that answered definitely wasn't Jarvis. It was a female voice. When Phil said his name, the A.I. informed him he was mistaken. "Please say your name again. Agent Phil Coulson is deceased."

"Let's just say the rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. Please tell them I'm here before I really am dead," Phil sighed.

Steve and Clint were the first ones to appear at the door. Neither of them looked much better than he did, and he was a dying man.

Steve just shook his head. "How is this possible?" he asked.

"You're dead," Clint added. "Not turned to dust days ago but dead for years. What's going on?"

"Okay," Phil replied in a tired voice, "long story short, I was dead. Fury brought me back not long after the Battle of New York. It was need to know information. I'm here, because I'm dying, um, really dying this time. I lost someone in the snap. She was very important to me. I may have lost others, but I have no way of contacting them.

If I only have a few days left, I want to use them to help. That's why I'm here," he finished softly. "It would really be great if I could come inside and sit down before I fall over."


	5. Chapter 5

**Major spoilers for season 5 Agents of Shield in this chapter. I'll give a brief synopsis of what you missed in the next chapter if you need to skip this one.**

"I think we've covered everything," Pepper said as she and Natasha carried the photos of the fallen Avengers into the Compound. "We'll frame these and Steve can finish his eulogies before the memorial service. Do you think he will be able to collect his thoughts before Thursday? It just seems fitting to do the service on the one week anniversary of the snap, but if you think-"

"Pepper, it's fine. Steve will be ready. You said it yourself, we have to give the world an example of how to grieve. Waiting any longer doesn't help anyone," Natasha paused as she set her box on the counter. "You should really take it easy. Think about the baby. Leave stressing over the service to me, okay?"

Pepper nodded. "You were the best assistant I ever had. I'm really grateful you're here. I'm not sure I can do this without you."

"You, Pepper Pots, can do anything. But, it is good to be home."

Rhodey walked into the kitchen as the two women hugged. "We have a visitor in the conference room," he paused. "It's Phil Coulson."

Natasha and Pepper exchanged puzzled looks and quickly raced to the conference room with Rhodey tagging along behind.

Phil was in the middle of a deep conversation with Bruce when they walked into the room. "So, time isn't fixed. It can be changed. You're team actually rewrote time!" Bruce exclaimed. "Any idea how many times you were stuck in the time loop?"

"No idea, but, apparently I didn't live long in any of them. There was a little girl, Robin. She was an inhuman and, until we escaped the time loop, an orphan after the earth shattered. She could see the future, multiple possible futures. Robin remembered every single loop. It was hard on her, but we couldn't have prevented the destruction of Earth without her. Melinda raised her as her own. I never got to stick around for that part," Phil finished wistfully.

"If we could figure out how they did it, we might be able to travel back in time ourselves," Bruce said as he went into full blown science mode. "The girl? Robin?"

"Dust," Phil replied. "I went there first. This happened less than 24 hours after we escaped the time loop. I have no idea whether any of the rest of my team are alive or dead, but Melinda was right beside me. She turned to dust before my eyes. We waited so long. If I'd had any common sense whatsoever, I'd have spent the last five years loving her."

"You're talking about Melinda May," Natasha said, trying to catch up. "Hi, Coulson. It's good to see you ." Natasha hugged Phil then Pepper took her own turn hugging him. "How are you here?"

"Long story, and I've filled in these guys. The big thing is I'm dying again. I don't have much time. I'll tell you everything I know about Fitz and Simmons time loop, but, you should know, the monolith they used is destroyed. The loop can't be recreated the same way, and you wouldn't want to anyway."

"But, it's possible. That's the thing," Bruce replied. "Time isn't set. Pepper, can I use Tony's lab?"

"Of course, Bruce. You don't even have to ask," Pepper replied.

"Time loops are dangerous, Dr. Banner," Phil added as Bruce headed for the door. "We almost didn't escape the last one, but my time is about up anyway. If you can save my team, do it."

"I don't see much chance of me making things any worse by trying. But, after Ultron, I guess we should discuss this as a team," Bruce suggested.

"I say it's worth a try," Rhodey piped in before any of the others had time to talk.

"I, too, agree," Thor added. "If it could save my people, it is worth the risk."

Clint looked at Cassie, who had been quietly listening. "What do you think, kid? You have as much right to an opinion as any of us?" Cassie nodded. "Cassie and I are in."

"Me too," said Rocket, "for Groot."

"Be careful, but I'm in," Pepper agreed.

"Cap? Nat? What do you say?" Bruce asked.

Natasha felt Steve's eyes on her. He was silently asking where she stood, just like he always did. She gave a slight nod. "Check it out. Get us a way and we'll discuss it," Steve agreed.

Once Bruce was gone, Natasha took the seat next to Phil. "You were in love with Agent May even before she became the Calvary, weren't you?"

"It was complicated. I didn't make my move years ago, and she got married. I figured I could at least be her friend and partner then Bahrain happened. I died. Suddenly we were rebuilding Shield and fighting Hydra together. She was my partner. I didn't trust anyone the way I trusted her.

"We were both so different by that point. It was scary taking the next step. I guess real love is scary. I don't think I had it before Melinda. We just waited too long."

Natasha nodded. She could feel Steve's eyes on her, but she didn't dare look in his direction. Instead, she listened as Phil told them about his team and all they'd accomplished under the radar over the last few years.

 **105 Hours post Snap**

"So after we take your sister's remains to Zen-Whoberi, you'll take me back to Earth?" Tony said as he helped Nebula wrap Gamora's lifeless body in a cloth.

"As we agreed, I will take you to Earth then I will continue my quest to kill Thanos," Nebula replied.

"Maybe we can work on that quest together. We have a team on Earth, or at least we used to have a team. We called ourselves Avengers, and we've done some good. We stopped a Chitari invasion. Of course, that was years ago. Things were bad even before Thanos, but I have to believe at least some of them are left. We could work together. Strange said there was only one way to win. He didn't say what that way was but I have to believe he sacrificed the time stone and himself, because he believed it was the way to win. I'm not saying we can undo all of this, but maybe there's a way. Regardless, we can still make Thanos pay."

Nebula looked at Tony thoughtfully. "I will consider helping you on one condition."

"Let me guess, you'll join us if I'll just stop talking."

"No, I want to be the one to kill Thanos," Nebula replied. "However, it would make the trip more bearable if you would just stop talking."

Tony decided a little silence might not be such a bad idea. As they worked together to carry the lifeless woman's body, Tony thought about the battle on Titan. They were so close to victory. If Quill would have just stuck to the plan, they might have prevented all of this loss. But, Tony wasn't angry with Quill anymore, not really. As he looked at the cloth covered body, he knew he'd have made the same mistake if it were Pepper.

Watching Peter dissolve into dust before his eyes was almost unbearable. The kid should have been at home. His last moments didn't belong to Tony. Peter should have had the comfort of his aunt. And, Tony should have been with Pepper.

By the time the ship left Vormir, Tony had made an important decision. He was going to fix this mess if it was fixable and make sure Thanos could not threaten his family again. He couldn't stand back and do nothing. But, when this was over, if Pepper was still alive, he was done being Ironman.

 **111 Hours post Snap**

Steve stared at his bedroom door as if just willing Natasha to come to bed would miraculously do the trick. He was sure Cassie was asleep by now. He was also sure Natasha wasn't coming. Why should she? He completely blew the apology, and she didn't seem interested in letting him try it again.

He was an idiot with women. He always had been, but hearing Coulson talking about waiting too long made Steve realize a few things. Natasha was right. Neither of them were who they were a week ago, but they were still here. That had to mean something.

Finally, summoning all the courage he could muster, Steve stood up. "Friday, where's Natasha?"

"Ms. Romanoff is in Ms. Maximoff's room, Captain. Shall I get her for you?"

"No, thanks, Friday. I'm going to have to handle this one on my own."

Steve knocked on the door. Natasha opened it just a crack. "I'm not ready to talk, Steve. Go to bed."

Steve pushed the door open. He was fully aware she could stop him from entering if she wanted, but she didn't resist. She just crossed her arms and stared at him. "You don't have to talk. Just listen. Give me two minutes then I'll leave. Can you do that?" Steve begged.

"Clock's ticking. Try not to say anything stupid, or I'll push you out whether your two minutes are up or not."

"No pressure then. Okay, I am an idiot. I have wanted nothing more than to pull you into my arms and kiss you for years. It never felt like the right time, so I thought having you as my partner was enough.

But, what Coulson said today hit home. He wasted years, stood back while she married another man, then he still spent the last few years just being her partner when they both wanted more. I thought we waited too long, but we're still here. Agent May's gone. Coulson is dying. I refuse to let another day go by without saying that I love you-that I'm in love with you.

"Nat, the reason I apologized this morning is not because I don't love you. It's because you deserve so much more than I gave you last night. You're not some USO girl whose name I won't remember next week. I should have been tender. I should have shown you how I feel about you. Now, I'm just begging you to give me another chance. Let me show you. Please just say something."

"Shut up, Steve," Natasha replied. Steve looked at his feet and turned to go. Natasha grabbed his hand. "You are going to kiss me now. No more talking."

Steve pulled her into his arms and kissed her then he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. "Pretty brave. You do know I can think of at least seven ways to get out of this position, right, Rogers?"

"You don't want out or we wouldn't be having this conversation, Romanoff. I'm taking you to our bed."

"Rogers, if we do this and you apologize in the morning, I swear-"

"Trust me, Nat, I'm not going to have anything to apologize for when morning comes. I'm never letting you go. I love you."

"I love you, too, Steve. Let's go."

Clint was walking a tired Phil to his room. "Does that happen often?" Phil asked as he nodded towards his childhood hero carrying his former agent down the hallway.

"I have a feeling it'll be happening pretty often from now on," Clint replied. "So, you and the Calvary?"

"She'd beat you up for calling her that," Phil replied.

"I wish she was here to do it. Sorry Phil."

"Me too. We both lost our families, Clint. I just wish I were going to be around for whatever hair brain scheme you guys come up with to fix this. I'd much rather go down fighting."


	6. Chapter 6

**For those who needed to skip the last chapter to avoid Agents of Shield spoilers, Coulson's words gave Bruce an idea. They now know time isn't fixed. Also, Steve successfully convinced Natasha to give him another chance.**

 **5 Days post Snap, Early Morning**

Natasha rolled to her side as she opened her eyes. Steve wasn't in the bed. "I'm going to kill him," she decided, certain he was having second thoughts again. She got up and took a shower and dressed for the day. There was still no sign of Steve when she re-entered the bedroom. "This might actually be worse than yesterday's apology," she huffed as she walked out of the room.

Natasha stopped to check on Cassie, but Cassie was gone, too. Shaking her head, Natasha made her way to the living room. There were sheets covering the furniture. Some pieces of furniture were tipped over while others were moved from their usual positions. Natasha was still staring at the monstrosity when she heard the voices.

"World's greatest grandma," Clint chuckled. "Cap, you should put that in there."

"Is that okay with you, Cassie?" Natasha heard Steve ask.

"Yeah, it's okay with me, Uncle Cap. I think Daddy would like it."

Unable to contain her smile, Natasha pulled up one end of the sheet. What she saw melted her heart, Steve, Clint, Rhodey, and Cassie were under the blanket fort. Cassie and Rhodey were eating cereal, while Clint sat next to Steve and the notepad he had been carrying around as he tried to finish the eulogies.

"Morning," Steve said with a slightly lop-sided grin. "Cassie was telling us how Scott kept her entertained while he was on house arrest. We thought this might help her feel a little closer to her dad."

"Don't blame me. I just got up, and the Lucky Charms were with the kid," Rhodey added, as he raised his hands in the air.

"I think it was a great idea, but Pepper might not agree. You guys can start putting the room back together while I borrow Steve," Natasha said as she closed the sheet.

Steve crawled out of the fort with a sheepish look on his face and followed Natasha to their room. "I really wanted to be here when you woke up this morning. I was going to come back with breakfast and surprise you. I actually had a very romantic morning planned, but things kind of escalated quickly when Cassie woke up. She's really missing her family. I'm sorry."

Natasha kissed him. "I thought we agreed there'd be no apologies this morning. I have to admit I was concerned when I woke up and you were gone, but you did good, soldier."

"Like you said, Scott was one of us. We owe him. You shouldn't have to do all the heavy lifting where Cassie's concerned. I think it's going to take all of us," Steve paused. "She asked me what was going to happen to her. I promised her she wouldn't be alone. I think we should see if one of Stark Industries' attorneys can get the ball moving on making you her legal guardian."

"Me? What happened to we?"

"Just a formality. Somebody's name needs to go on the papers, and I think it should be yours. You're good with her. She trusts you. What do you think?"

"I think I love you a little bit more than I did yesterday. You really think I'm guardian material?"

"Not a doubt in my mind. This isn't exactly the way I envisioned starting a family, but she needs all of us. And, maybe, we need her, too. She's a reminder of what we fight for, right?"

Natasha didn't bother answering. She just pulled Steve into another kiss. They spent quite a bit of time exploring their new relationship before really speaking again.

"You should probably know that Clint and Coulson know about us," Steve whispered into her hair.

"I thought we agreed to keep this between us at least until after the memorial service."

"We did. They saw us last night." Natasha raised an eyebrow, so Steve continued his explanation. "They saw me carrying you down the hallway. It didn't take long for them to put two and two together. I'm pretty sure Thor, Rhodey, and Rocket assumed we were together since the battle."

"And, Bruce knows how I feel about you," Natasha added. "That just leaves Pepper. She just lost Tony. I should tell her before she finds out from anyone else," Natasha sighed. "I feel a little guilty stealing these moments with you when everyone else is hurting."

"Hey, we're hurting, too. We've all lost a lot. I think our friends will understand us deciding not to waste anymore time. We've been dancing around this thing for a long time."

"Too long," Natasha agreed. "So, is it safe to assume you've gotten over your hang-ups about being together?"

"If you can love the man I am now, who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth? I don't know what happens next. I don't know if we can find Thanos, let alone live through another battle against him, but I do know I want you beside me until the end."

 **Somewhere in the Quantum Realm**

"Hello, Hope. Come on guys. Pull me back. This isn't funny, Hank," Scott called. He knew it was pointless to keep calling out to the others. If they could get him out, he'd be out already.

Scott had no idea how long he'd been stuck in the quantum realm. Time didn't really move the same here. He didn't feel hunger. He wasn't tired. He just kind of existed. Something had gone wrong, that much he knew. The question was what happened and how was he going to get out of this mess?

He thought of Cassie. Would she have to grow up thinking he was dead? Would Hope tell her the truth? Of course she would tell her, but was that really any better? He needed to find a way out. Staying here wasn't going to do any good, so, with a heavy heart, Scott unlatched himself from the tether and chose a direction. What was it Janet had told him to avoid? Time something or other. He needed to remember, but something about this place made even remembering difficult.

He tried to keep as straight a path as possible as he explored the quantum realm. It was beautiful here. There was no denying that, but it felt like a death trap to Scott. Everyone he cared about was on the other side, and he didn't have the foggiest idea how he was going to return to them.

He had no idea how long he had been wandering around when he saw her. She looked a little like an angel to him. He got as close as he could. "Hello," he called out, "it looks like you and I are in the same predicament. My name's Scott. Maybe we can help each other."

The blonde woman in the strange uniform didn't move. Scott took a second look. She was in some sort of chrysalis. "Great, first person I see in who knows how long and she's not even conscious."

Scott carefully examined the purple tendrils that encased the woman. He certainly didn't want to risk hurting her, but he couldn't just leave her here. Besides, maybe she was his ticket out. He had to do something. Formulating a plan was a little tricky, because something about this place was really messing with his mind. How had Janet stayed so sane?

"Look, I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm going to try and break you out. If you can hear me and there's a legitimate reason why I shouldn't, please blink your eyes or something. I'd really rather not hurt you, okay?"

The woman didn't move, so Scott pulled the first tendril away from her legs. When nothing bad happened, he got a little braver and started working on the tendrils that crossed her chest. "I promise, I'm not trying to get fresh. I mean, you're a very beautiful woman and all, but I have a girlfriend-a girlfriend who has apparently deserted me in here but a girlfriend just the same."

Finally, Scott had all but one tendril removed, and it was the one that scared him the most. It was obviously the one keeping her in stasis. The long purple tendril was wrapped around her neck and it reached into her left ear. "Here's hoping I don't cause brain damage," Scott sighed as he pulled the tendril in as straight a line as possible. As soon as it exited the woman's ear, her eyes flew open. "Hello, I mentioned this before but I'm Scott. Can you talk? Tell me I didn't break you or anything."

"Thank you, Scott. I heard you the first time, just couldn't exactly answer," the woman replied. "I'm Carol, Carol Danvers."

"Thank God!" Scott replied. "Any idea how long you've been here?"

"No idea, but it feels like forever. Word of advice, stay away from those," Carol said, pointing to the broken purple tendrils Scott had just removed.

"I kind of figured that out for myself. I don't suppose you have a way out of here by any chance."

Carol shook her head. "I don't even remember how I got here. I was near Hala, the Kree home world. My ship was hit and I lost power to the engine. I thought for sure I was going to crash on the planet. Somehow, I ended up here."

"Kree? Hala? I have no idea where that is. I'm from a planet called Earth. You look so, well, human, I guess I assumed you were, too."

Carol smiled. "I am. I was a captain in the U.S. Air Force."

"Well, that explains absolutely nothing, but I'm glad you're okay. Maybe we can work together to get out of here. I have a daughter at home. I need to get back to her."

"I guess we should get started looking for a way out," Carol replied. "Interesting costume."

"Yours is kind of interesting, too. It's not exactly Air Force issue."

"I guess not. I haven't exactly been Air Force in awhile. I don't honestly even know how long I've been here. What's the day?"

"When I got here, it was April 27, 2018."

Carol closed her eyes briefly then opened them. "I left Earth in August of 1999. I guess I owe you a debt Scott. I've been trapped a very long time."

"Don't sweat it. The last woman I found in the quantum realm got stuck her in 1987."

Carol laughed. "Guess she has us both beat. Which direction do you want to try first?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks to everyone who is reading this story, and a big thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites. I still don't own Marvel or any of it's characters, but I like to take them out and play with them occasionally. We are beginning to get to the main story now. Yep, everything up to this point was primarily to just deal with the ramifications of the snap. The real story is just getting started.**

 **7 Days Post Snap, 8 a.m.**

Steve sighed as he tied his tie for the third time. This was going to be a hard day. He'd read over the words he'd written a dozen times. They just didn't seem adequate. A few words to describe each of Earth's lost heroes seemed hollow, but if this memorial service could give the others a little closure, he had to try.

It wasn't just his fellow Avengers depending on this service today. The president agreed with Pepper. The world needed to see a healthy response to loss. Things were still utterly chaotic beyond the doors of the Avengers' Compound. Steve still thought it would be better if the team was out on the streets trying to maintain order, but public opinion and those soon to be annulled Accords required a more diplomatic approach.

It was almost easier to do his job while he, Natasha, Sam, and Wanda had been on the run. They were covert, thanks to Natasha. They just did what was right then slipped into the night. This stuff, the PR business, well, it was more Tony's game. Too bad Tony couldn't be here to handle it today.

There was a slight knock on the bathroom door before Natasha let herself inside. "You know, Rogers, as the woman in this relationship, I'm the one who gets to monopolize the bathroom," she smirked before reaching up and straightening his tie. "There, that's better."

"Not sure I'll ever get the hang of these things," Steve mumbled. "Thank you."

"Anytime, soldier," Natasha replied as she kissed his cheek. "You can do this, Steve. The rest of us will be right there with you."

"Yeah, just wish it wasn't necessary," Steve sighed. "Is it wrong that I'm grateful? We lost so many people, and the first feeling to wash over me every morning since the snap has been gratitude that I still have you. I miss them all so much, Nat, but I don't think I could live without you. And, that's exactly what Clint and Pepper and countless others have to do. They lost their other halves just as we were finding ours."

"You do realize we were each other's other half long before the snap, right? The feelings were there, Steve. We would have gotten here eventually. It's okay to be grateful. I know I am."

"I'm definitely the luckiest man in the universe to have you beside me."

"We're both pretty lucky. Now, out of here soldier. My turn to get ready. Can you check on the others? We need to leave early."

"Absolutely," Steve replied as he leaned in for one last kiss. "You know you've always been the one in charge right?"

"I was hoping you wouldn't figure that out," she teased before pushing him out the door.

 **7 Days post Snap 10:25am**

Nebula's craft touched down on the compound's helipad, and Tony jumped out as quickly as he could, leaving Nebula to catch up. Tony rushed into the building. "Friday, I need a status report on Pepper now."

"Mr. Stark, Ms. Potts and the remaining Avengers are at St. Mark's Cathedral for your memorial service. You were presumed dead, sir."

"She's alive! Thank God!" Tony let out the breath he'd been holding. Pepper was alive. He could get through anything as long he had her.

Nebula finally managed to catch up with Tony. "She's alive. Follow me. My turn to drive. We'll take the Porsche."

"Porsche?" Nebula asked, but Tony was already headed for the car.

"You'll see. Come on," he commanded.

It didn't take long to get to the church, and Tony quickly noted that it was packed. He saw a side door and headed for it. He didn't want to be stopped by the press before he even got to lay eyes on Pepper. The door was unlocked. It actually led to a small room right off of the pulpit area. Tony stopped in his track as soon as he heard the familiar voice speaking from the podium.

"-and, to Cassie, Scott Lange will be remembered as much more than a reformed criminal, much more than Antman. He will be remembered as the trophy she gave him stated. Scott will forever be remembered as the World's Best Grandma," Steve paused as a few chuckled, "a father who put his daughter first even as he did his part to protect others. He will be missed.

"Finally, we come to the Avenger who I personally find the hardest to say goodbye to today. Anthony Stark," Steve paused and shook his head, "Tony was Earth's mightiest defender. His greatest super power didn't come from his arc-reactor. It came from deep inside. Before Tony became Ironman, he was a philanthropist and a playboy. He didn't think much about anyone but himself, but when fate intervened, Tony Stark stepped up to the challenge.

"Tony became the hero Earth needed. He used his resources to keep the planet safe. He used his intelligence to constantly look for a better way. He was a good man, one of the best I ever knew. His father would have been so proud of the hero his son became, and I once had the privilege of calling him friend.

"Our last words to each other were heated. Our friendship was strained by my inability to trust him with a truth he needed to hear. I don't get a second chance to say the things I should have said, just like many of you don't have the chance to repair relationships with those taken by the snap. But, we all have the chance to be better people moving forward. Just as Tony let adversity turn a playboy into an Avenger, we can and must let the horror we have just experienced turn us into better people-into everyday heroes.

"I ask all of you, everyone still breathing, to evaluate yourself now. Be better. Tell the people you care about how you really feel about them now before the opportunity passes you by. Do it for the ones you've lost. Do it for Tony Stark-the man who cared so much for the people of this planet he was willing to jump onto an enemy spacecraft to defend it. Thank you."

Tony just stood there as he listened to the applause from Steve's speech. He was momentarily frozen until Nebula nudged him.

"For someone in such a hurry, you are not moving very fast, Stark. Go," Nebula commanded as she gave him a gentle push.

The crowd gasped as Tony stepped up behind Steve. He hadn't realized how filthy he must have looked until Pepper was suddenly running towards him. Steve turned his head to see Tony standing there just as Pepper threw herself into his arms.

"You came back," Pepper cried into his chest. "I thought-"

"I know. I'm not. I'm here. I love you," he whispered into his ear, ending each short sentence with another kiss into her hair.

"I love you so much, Tony. I love you so much," Pepper cried.

Soon the others were gathered around them. Rhodey hugged Tony as soon as Pepper let go. Natasha followed with Bruce, Thor, Clint, and Coulson on his heels.

"Phil?" Tony asked, a puzzled look on his face.

"Good to see you among the living," Phil replied.

"I could say the same about you," Tony replied.

Tony was soon talking to several others who had attended the memorial service, but he kept looking over at Steve. Steve had yet to get very close, and Tony knew exactly why. But, he'd also heard the speech, and he knew Steve was being sincere. As soon as he finally caught the opportunity to excuse himself from a conversation with a man he'd met but didn't particularly remember, he walked the few steps to where Steve was standing.

"Tony, I'm so sor-"

"You know what, Cap, I think we are way past the 'I'm sorry' phase," Tony replied. Steve nodded then looked at his feet. "I heard what you said up there. It was a good. I'm kind of glad I didn't have to really die to get it. The world's a mess. We both made some big mistakes, but I think half the universe gone in an instant is punishment enough for our mistakes. I want to fix this if it's possible. What do you say, Cap? Are we in this together?"

"Until the end, Tony, until the end," Steve replied and the two men hugged.

Pepper walked up behind them and interlaced her fingers with Tony's. "Steve, any chance you and Rhodey could handle the press conference so I can get Tony home?"

"Absolutely," Steve agreed. "We'll take care of things here."

"Never thought I'd see the day Capsycle would willingly handle the press," Tony smirked. "There was a girl with me. Her name is Nebula. She fought at our side on Titan then brought me home."

"Is that her?" Steve asked, pointing to Nebula.

"Uh, yes, that's her talking to the giant raccoon," Tony acknowledged. "There's a sentence I never thought I'd speak. Can you make sure she gets back to the compound?"

"I'll take care of her, Tony. Go home with Pepper. She's missed you."

Tony got a shower as soon as they got home, and soon he was holding Pepper in his arms. "I want you to know that I'm done being Ironman as soon as we settle this thing with Thanos, and, if you say the word, I'll even stay out of that one. Steve and the others can do the fighting. I will just stay in the lab and help from there. I just want to be with you."

"No," Pepper said shaking her head, "the world needs Ironman. I understand that now."

"But I need you," Tony replied.

"And, you have me, Tony. You will always have me, but I want the world to be a safe place for our child. And, if I have to share you with Ironman to do it, I will."

"Our child? You mean you're willing to try and have a baby with me?"

"Not exactly," Pepper paused, "I'm pregnant, Tony. We are having a baby."

Tony kissed her then he shouted to the empty compound, "We're having a baby! I love you! Where's Happy? I need to send him out for cigars?" Pepper gave him a pained look and shook her head. "No Happy?" Tony paused a moment. "For a little while there, I was so relieved you were alive, I didn't think about who might not be around. Peter's gone. He went in the snap. Strange is gone, too."

"I'm sorry, Tony. The others and I talked about what to say about Peter today. We decided not to mention his name. Steve just called him Spiderman. We decided it might be easier for his aunt to think he was just lost like so many others."

"You did the right thing. As much as I'd like for the world to know what a hero Peter Parker was, his aunt has lost a lot. It might cause her even more pain to know where he was when the snap happened."

"So, now what?" Pepper asked.

"Strange had the time stone. He searched through millions of different possible outcomes to see if we could win against Thanos. He only found one. When Thanos and I were fighting, Strange gave him the time stone in exchange for my life. I asked why. I'd have rather died than lose at that moment. The stakes were so high. But, Strange said it had to be that way. He said we were in the endgame now. I think there's a way to fix this, the one way Strange found. I think he gave up the stone so I could live long enough to figure it out."

"Time isn't set," Pepper replied, repeating Bruce's words from a few nights before. "Coulson's team was stuck in a time loop. Eventually, they got out changing the outcome in the process. Bruce has already started working on it. He's been in contact with T'challa's sister Shuri. The three of you working together can find a way."

"I need to pick Coulson's brain, but it can wait a few days. Right now, I just want to be with you."

"I just want to be with you, too, but Phil is dying, Tony. He shouldn't have really even attended the memorial service. When he gets home from the church, we need to have a meeting and compare the facts. We can't afford to get this wrong."

"We?"

"It's the way we do things now. Even a racoon and a little girl have their seats at the table. Every opinion counts. Separately, none of us can fix this, but together-"

"We have a chance," Tony finished.


	8. Chapter 8

**Spoilers for Agents of Shield season 5 ahead, folks. I still don't own Marvel or any of these amazing characters. This is just me playing in the Marvel sandbox while anxiously waiting for details on Avengers 4. (Even a title would be really helpful.)**

* * *

 **6 Months, 3 Days post Snap (4,457 Hours post Snap)**

It was 3 a.m. and Tony was already awake in his lab. He had managed to sleep a full four hours this time. That had to be a record. These early mornings weren't wasted bt any means. Tony, Bruce, Shuri, and even Wong had been working on figuring out how to turn back the clock for months. If the footage they'd recorded of Phil Coulson's retelling of his team's experiences changing the timeline held any more clues, Tony had to find them. He restarted the footage once again and took another gulp of coffee.

" _Alright, it's recording," Bruce informed the team, "tell us about the monolith again, Coulson."_

" _There were actually three of them hidden in the lighthouse," Phil said. "Only one had anything to do with time. If you find my team, Fitzsimmons will be able to tell you quite a bit more about them than I can. But, essentially, because we were kidnapped and transported into the future, Fitz and Simmons were able to retrofit technology to bring us back to the past. The key was a small piece of the monolith that Fitzsimmons left with their daughter. Their grandson Zeke was able to tell us that much once we started putting the pieces together. Sadly, that piece is gone, too. I think Simmons was a little over zealous when she tried to ensure we didn't mess up what we had fixed, but we sure didn't expect to need a way to time travel again, certainly not so soon."_

" _And, you said these two are on a ship headed through space?" Tony asked._

" _No, Simmons and the rest of rest of the team, with the exception of May and Zeke, went to rescue the other Fitz. Remember, we technically had two briefly. One died as we were trying to prevent a repetition of the other timeline. The other was in cryo-stasis somewhere in the galaxy waiting to be revived in the future. It was a very complex situation."_

" _Right, of course, our current situation isn't exactly easy either," Tony replied. "How long had they been gone before the snap?"_

" _Almost a full day," Phil replied, "but, I don't think any of this is going to help you unless you have another monolith capable of time travel lying around or a way to rebuild the other one. Of course, the other monoliths were destroyed, too, so you'd even have to figure out which pieces fit to which one. Trust me, you don't want to break reality. It's really the stuff nightmares are made of, quite literally._

" _If Fitz and Simmons didn't turn to dust, they might be able to help you. This isn't really my area. I wish I could do more." Phil paused and took some labored breaths. "I'm running out of time. Find my team. You might need them." Phil paused again and started coughing. Pepper gave him a drink of water and Natasha took his hand. "I'd give anything to finish this fight with you guys. I thought I'd go out saving the world, not watching it fall apart."_

" _Tony, Phil needs rest. Bruce turn off the camera. We can talk again tomorrow," Pepper pleaded. "He's not doing very well."_

 _The image of Coulson shook slightly as Bruce reached to turn off the camera. Phil's half-smile was the last image on the screen._

As the recording ended, Tony sighed. Phil hadn't made it to morning. This recording and the conversations the others had already had with him were all they had to go on and it turned out to be way less than they needed. Thor, Nebula, and Rocket had taken off the next day in search of Phil's missing team, and that was the last time any of them had heard from the trio.

Tony, Bruce, Steve, Natasha, and Rhodey had traveled to the lighthouse, but it had been a dead end. Phil was right. Rebuilding the monolith was impossible. Shuri had pieces in Wakanda, and she was studying them. Wong had taken pieces to Tibet, and Tony and Bruce had spent hours looking at their own pieces. Unless Fitz and Simmons showed up, and likely even if they did, this was pointless. There had to be another way.

"Why am I not surprised to find you here?" Steve said as he walked into the lab. "Don't you think you should be well rested for today?"

"Yeah, sleeping a full night isn't easy anymore. I see your up, too. Did you need me for something?" Tony asked.

"No, I was just awake and thought I'd walk around a bit so I didn't wake Nat. I saw the light. Thought I'd check in on you. I guess I don't sleep much either."

"It still blows my mind a little."

"I think the snap blew everyone's minds."

"Yeah, it did, but I was actually talking about you and Red. I didn't see that coming," Tony smiled.

Steve laughed. "Pretty sure you weren't the only one."

"It still feels almost wrong sometimes," Tony sighed. "So many lost and you and I still have the women we love. I have a son on the way. You and Nat are great together, and you're like a whole little semi-normal family with Cassie. Do you ever think us getting our happy endings might be some kind of cosmic guilt trip?"

"I'm not following," Steve replied.

"It was our job to protect the planet, and we failed. Maybe the cosmos let us have what we have so we would feel even worse about losing the others."

"We did fail," Steve agreed, "but I think I'd rather believe the cosmos kept us around so we could fix things. And, I'm pretty sure we wouldn't be able to fix much of anything without Nat and Pepper." Steve walked to the workbench and sat down. He looked Tony in the eye. "You're going to figure this out then we are going to take Thanos out once and for all together."

"You still believe that?"

"I do, but not today. Today, you are going to stay out of this lab. You have a promise to keep. This can wait."

 **14 Hours Later (4,471 Hours post Snap)**

"To Tony and Pepper," Rhodey said as he raised his glass, "it's about time!"

Tony smiled as he took a sip of champagne. He couldn't take his eyes off of his beautiful bride. Even at seven months pregnant, she looked absolutely breathtaking. When Pepper caught him looking, she smiled. "What? Is my lipstick smeared?" she asked, reaching a hand towards her face.

Tony reached out and took the hand into his own and kissed it. "No, you're perfect-absolutely perfect. I'm just really glad we are finally here."

Pepper kissed him. "We may have taken the scenic route, but we made it. I love you, Tony."

"And, I love you and Morgan more than anything."

"I still haven't agreed to that name," Pepper laughed.

"Oh, but you will. It was in the dream. It's his name."

"We'll see," Pepper grinned. Her tone became a little more somber. "If we find a way to undo the snap, none of this will have actually happened. Today, I mean. We won't even remember this."

"I guess that's a good probability," Tony agreed, "but, we'll get the joy of doing all of this again. No matter what happens, you and Morgan are the most important people in my world. I'd marry you a thousand times."

"Well, let's try and get the timeline fixed in one trip, okay? I'd rather not get stuck in a timeline and repeat morning sickness, foot swelling, and all the other unmentionables of pregnancy a thousand times."

"I will do my best," Tony promised. "Now, I think I'd really like to share a dance with my wife. What do you say, Mrs. Stark?"

"It would be my pleasure, Mr. Stark."

 **Quantum Realm**

"Well, that was certainly a close call. How did Janet deal with those things for thirty years?" Scott asked as he and Carol hid behind what Scott liked to call a ball of cotton candy.

"I have no idea, but I think I wounded one of them," Carol replied. "I'm glad I can still blast in here."

"Yeah, me too. One of these days, your going to have to tell me how you blast fireballs right out of your hands. That is pretty amazing. If we ever get out of here, Hank is going to have to give my suit a few upgrades. What do you think those things are?"

"I'm not sure. We didn't encounter any until that came into view," Carol replied, pointing towards the large swirling circle that was still several meters ahead of them. "Maybe they guard whatever that is. A portal maybe?"

"Only one way to find out, I guess. We'll just have to try to avoid them until we can reach it. It's weird that we keep moving towards it but we never seem to get any closer."

"Just makes me even more certain we need to get there," Carol said with determination. "Keep your eyes peeled."

"I just hope it's not one of the things Janet said to avoid," Scott replied. He sure wished he had been paying more attention to what Janet was telling him. What had she called it? A time warp? A time trap? That would probably be a bad thing. Anything involving a trap needed to be avoided at all cost. "If we ever get to that thing, maybe we should do a little investigating before we do anything we might not want to do."

Carl rolled her eyes and laughed. "Gee, I hadn't thought of that. Of course, we'll check it out. Or, at least we'll try and check if out. Honestly, I have a feeling anywhere would be better than were we are now."

* * *

 **Yes, there was a bit of a time jump this chapter. Life has gone on for the snap survivors, but our Avengers haven't given up. Thanks for reading.**


	9. Chapter 9

**8 Months, 7 Days post Snap (5, 982 Hours post Snap)**

Natasha was the first one off the quinjet. The terrorist cell they'd been tracking in Lebanon had put up a much more impressive struggle than they had expected, and she was exhausted. Bed sounded incredibly good, but she had somewhere else she needed to be at the moment. She rushed to the medical wing of St. Joseph's Hospital without even waiting for the guys to make it to the car.

The first familiar face she found was the one she'd missed most during her two week mission. Cassie was sitting in the waiting room playing Uno with Darcy. Natasha smiled as the child ran to hug her.

Natasha gave the child a quick hug before turning to Darcy. "Thanks for looking out for our girl. I really am grateful you accepted our offer."

"No problem. I would have been crazy to turn down the chance to work with the Avengers. Besides, Jane was my best friend. If anyone can find a way to bring her back, it's you guys," Darcy assured her.

"Any word yet?"

"Radio silence," Darcy sighed. "It's sure taking awhile."

"Well, these things take time."

The three were in the middle of a third hand of Uno before Steve, Clint, Bruce, and Rhodey arrived. Steve leaned in and kissed Natasha. "You could have waited for us," he teased.

"This was too important to miss," Natasha smirked.

As Steve slid Cassie over so he could sit beside her, Tony entered the lobby. He, too, looked exhausted but his smile told Natasha all was well. "Morgan Anthony Stark has made his arrival. The doctors are checking him out now, but mom and baby are doing great."

Natasha was the first to hug Tony. "Congratulations. Can't wait to see him."

"Won't be long now. Glad you guys were able to get back on time and in one piece. Did you get the ring leader?"

"We did," Steve assured him. "He won't be attempting anything else for a long time."

"It'll be death row or life for him," Rhodey agreed. "Congratulations on the boy, Tony. You're going to be a great dad."

"I'm going to do my best," Tony promised. "My dad spent so much of my childhood trying to recover Capsycle here he didn't always remember he had a son."

"I'm sorry, Tony," Steve replied.

"It wasn't your fault. It was on him, and it turned out to be a good thing. He was right. He always believed the serum might have been enough to keep you alive." Tony paused a moment. "My point is, I think there's a good chance we are right, too. If we could just figure out the missing pieces, maybe we could go back and prevent all of this-save everyone. But, unless we get a lead, I'm stuck. I can't do to Morgan what my father did to me. I want you guys to keep doing what your doing. I'll be around if you really need me, but it's time for me to think about what's still here. Pepper and I are moving back to the mansion with Morgan."

"Do what you need to do, Tony. We'll keep working on the problem. Enjoy your retirement," Bruce smiled.

"It's not exactly retirement. I've had a job offer from the president himself. Pepper insists I take it. I'm going to make sure the current world we live in is safe for Morgan while staying out of the battle as much as possible. You're looking at the new director of Shield."

Natasha smiled. "The president made the right choice."

"I hope so," Tony sighed. "I wish it were Fury, but we all know he'd be here by now if he were still around."

"I agree. It's safe to say Fury is gone, but you are the best one to take his place," Steve replied. "Is this his solution to the Accords? Will the Avengers be a part of Shield?"

"Officially, yes. Unofficially, you guys keep doing what needs to be done and I'll handle the politics. You were right. The Avengers need to be free to do what they think is best without a lot of interference."

"Thank you, Tony," Steve said as he went to shake his friend's hand.

 **1 Year post Snap (8,760 Hours post Snap)**

It was a somber day around the Avengers Compound. Steve and Tony had flown to D.C. for a press conference and candlelight vigil. Bruce, Darcy, and Rhodey opted to visit Wakanda, so the scientists could talk through a few projects and Rhodey could just be where he'd been when things fell apart. Clint decided he wanted to spend the day alone on the farm even though Natasha tried to tag along and keep him company.

In the end, only Natasha and Cassie were left behind. They watched the services together and had a late lunch. Neither of them really felt like eating much, but Natasha really tried to keep Cassie's day at least somewhat normal.

"Aunt Nat," Cassie began as they started cleating the table, "I've been thinking."

"Oh," Natasha replied, "safe to assume you want to talk about it?"

Cassie nodded. "I used to tell Dad I wanted to be his partner, but he said I was too young."

"He was trying to protect you, Cassie. You are only eleven."

"I know, but I won't always be eleven. I'll be twelve next month."

"Still young, Cassie."

"You were younger."

"I didn't have a lot of choice and there weren't people who cared about me. You have us."

"That's kind of the point. My dad was a hero. You and Uncle Steve and, well, everyone here are heroes. I need to learn to be one, too."

Natasha sighed. "Wouldn't you rather be an accountant? You are great with numbers. Or, maybe medical school or law school?"

"Aunt Nat, you know what I'm asking."

"I do. I know better than almost anyone what you're asking, and it is really not what I want for you. You deserve a normal life, Cassie."

"This is my normal. I just want to learn. Will you teach me how to fight?"

Natasha sighed. "I'll teach you self-defense but only because everyone should be able to defend themselves. As for the other stuff, please at least wait until your older to decide." Natasha smiled. "Accountants can be heroes, too, you know. You might save someone from committing tax evasion." Cassie giggled. "Just a suggestion. Tell you what, we'll finish cleaning this mess up then I'll teach you a few things, okay? Just no using what you learn at school."

"Can I use it on Uncle Clint?"

"Now, that you can do."

 **3 Years, 2 Months, 1 Week, 4 Days, and 7 Hours post Snap (28, 015 Hours Post Snap)**

"She's getting really good," Steve said as he and Natasha watched fourteen year old Cassie outmaneuver Rhodey on the mat.

"Of course, she's good. I wouldn't train her to be second best. Before long, you guys will have to stop holding back on her. She's a natural," Natasha replied with pride.

"You realize she isn't going to be an accountant, right?" Steve asked with a grin.

"Verdict isn't out yet, soldier. Being good doesn't automatically make her a spy or a soldier. I would much rather she make an easier choice. I just want her to be happy."

"You just want her to be safe."

"More than anything," Natasha admitted. "Is that so wrong?"

"No, it's how mothers are, I guess."

"I'm not her, I mean, I could never take her mother's place."

"I'm not saying you would try to replace her mom, but it doesn't really change the relationship that's formed between you. You're the first one she comes to when she has a bad day. You make her peppermint tea and listen to her talk. You sit with her when she's sick. Face it, Nat, you are an incredible mom to Cassie, and she knows it. There's nothing wrong with you being proud of her or wanting her safe. It's what moms do. But, eventually, like all moms, you'll have to let go and let her grow up. For Cassie, that probably is not going to be CPA training. She's already talked to Tony about Shield's Academy."

"She's fourteen, Steve. Let's discuss this later, much later. Right now, just let me live in ignorance," Natasha smirked, "I hear it's bliss."

"Whatever you say, beautiful," Steve replied, giving her a quick kiss.

Darcy came running into the training room just as Natasha and Steve went back to watching Cassie and Rhodey spar. "Thor's back. He brought company."

Soon, they were sitting in the conference room with Thor, Nebula, Rocket, and a few new faces. "We have found what remains of Son of Coul's team," Thor announced. "This is Agent Daisy Johnson and Agent Leopold Fitz. I also brought one of my fellow Asguardians. Meet Valkyrie. She is a fierce fighter. She led what was left of my people to a safe new home. I must soon return to them, but I will check in from time to time on your progress then we shall save all those who have fallen at the titan's hands."

"Good work, Thor," Steve said earnestly. "I'm assuming they filled you in on the way."

Daisy nodded. "Yes, I was alone after the others turned to dust. After Thor found me, we found Fitz. He was still in stasis, but the ship was unattended. I guess Enoch didn't make it. We're here to help."

Steve sighed. "We haven't had much luck. The monolith is a no go. Maybe Agent Fitz can take a look at what we have. A fresh pair of eyes can't hurt. Coulson spoke highly of you Agent Johnson. I'm sure we can put your skills to use."

"Thank you, sir," Daisy replied.

"There's absolutely nothing I won't do to get Jemma back," Fitz added. "I'd like to start as soon as possible if you don't mind."

"Of course," Bruce said. "Follow me. I'll get you set up."

After the two men left the room, Natasha took the seat beside Daisy. "Coulson thought a lot of you. We recorded him talking about what happened to your team in the time loop. If you want to see it-"

"I do. Thank you Agent Romanoff."

"Natasha, please. I have a feeling we are going to be working together quite a bit. You lost a lot. I guess we all did, but it couldn't have been easy watching it happen so far from home. I'm here if you need to talk."

Daisy smiled. "Thank you."

 **This chapter just gives snippets into some of the in-between years. We'll be getting to the big stuff soon. Thanks for reading.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Agents of Shield season 5 spoilers ahead, folks. I still don't own Marvel or any of these amazing characters.**

 **3 Years, 4 Months, 1 Week, 5 days, and 9 Hours post Snap (29,697 Hours post Snap)**

Fitz looked over everything for the next several weeks. If Daisy hadn't reminded him to eat or sleep, he probably wouldn't have stopped long enough to even do that. Learning about the time loop and his marriage to Jemma made the loss he felt even more profound. There had to be another way, because, as far as he could tell, the monoliths were not the solution this time. He really wished he had the memories his future self had, if for no other reason than to have the firsthand knowledge he acquired in the alternative future. Time wasn't set. That was a bit of a shock to Fitz, but it was also his only hope.

Finally, certain he wasn't going to find the answers in the others' research, Fitz started looking for other potential solutions. He was taking a break from researching the scientist who developed the Antman technology, at Daisy's insistence, and eating a sandwich when Cassie returned from school.

Cassie took one look at Hank Pym's picture on Fitz's laptop and sighed. "I always wondered if my dad was with the Pyms when the snap happened."

"Dr. Pym and his daughter were pretty close to your dad, weren't they?" Fitz replied, more for the sake of making conversation than anything else.

"Yes," Cassie replied, "Daddy even helped rescue Ms. Hope's mom. She was stuck for a long time."

"This says she died," Fitz replied, "but then it's not the first time we encountered a dead person. Where was she for all those years?"

"I was just a little girl, so I don't know much about it. But, Dad said she got really small, smaller than she was supposed to, during a battle and it got her stuck somewhere else. Dad said it was like time stood still in there. She didn't even age. Weird, huh? Dad was there once, too. That's how he was able to help. She had only been home a few weeks when the snap happened, but she was really nice. I liked her."

"Time stood still," Fitz repeated, "those were your dad's exact words?"

Cassie nodded. "That's what he said."

"Have you ever told the others what you just told me?"

"I don't think so. Aunt Nat would ask about my parents, but she was just trying to help me deal with losing them. Why?"

"Because, if Dr. Vandyne was stuck where I think she was, we might have our other way," Fitz said excitedly. "We need to talk to the others and I need to know everything your dad told you about his work with Dr. Pym."

Cassie smiled. "I'll tell you everything I remember. Do you really think it could help?"

"I know we can't use a broken monolith, and Dr. Pym was a brilliant scientist. I just really need to get my hands on his work."

Soon, everyone except Shuri was seated in the conference room. Shuri was present via video call, and Fitz gave Cassie a small smile before sharing his theory. "I believe Janet Vandyne was trapped in something called the Quantum Realm. Jemma and I had the opportunity to look over some documents of Dr. Pym's. He obviously didn't know Shield had acquired them, but Jemma and I hypothesized that there was at least the remote possibility that the Quantum Realm could hold the key to many of the universe's secrets, including time travel."

"And, we've had the kid here with us for all this time and didn't even think to ask the right questions," Tony said with a shake of his head. "We need to get our hands on Pym's tech."

"The lab disappeared before the snap," Rhodey reminded them. "It really baffled the defense department."

"It didn't disappear," Tony said with conviction. "He obviously shrunk the entire building and took it with him."

"That still doesn't do us much good, Tony," Steve replied.

"Sure it does," Tony smiled, "Fitz, you have at least a little more knowledge of the Quantum Realm than the rest of us. I'm sending you and Bruce to Wakanda to work with Shuri. Build something that can detect pim particles. We need that lab."

"I want go with them," Cassie said firmly. "Maybe I'll remember something else that's useful."

"I wouldn't have come to this conclusion without her," Fitz agreed.

"What do you say, Red?" Tony asked. "It might be good for the kid to get a look at the world."

Natasha sighed and looked at Steve. He gave a small nod. "It is summer time, so you can go for a few weeks. But, you stay at the palace the whole time. I mean it, no heroics or I cut off your training, Cassie."

Cassie leapt into Natasha's arms and hugged her. "Thanks, Aunt Nat. I promise I'll be careful."

"Bruce is in charge. Listen to him. Wakanda isn't the same place it was before the snap. It's not as safe. There are people who blame Wakanda for what happened."

Steve slid in beside them. "There are people who blame us, too, and we've managed to keep her safe."

"We being the keyword, Steve. She's never been away like this before."

"I'll tag along, too," Darcy promised. "I'll make sure Cassie has an absolutely boring summer." Cassie gave Darcy a look, but Darcy just winked at the girl. "Not too boring. We'll sunbathe and check out the cool tech. It'll be fine."

 **Wakanda**

The science team plus Cassie had been in Wakanda a week and a half, and they were making very slow progress. True to her word, Darcy had kept an eye on Cassie. Cassie felt like she'd actually kept a little too good of an eye on her honestly.

Darcy was usually like the fun older sister, but she hadn't been much fun this trip. Cassie desperately wanted to train with the Dora Milaje, but Darcy didn't think Natasha would approve. Instead, she kept Cassie busy doing summer 'fun'. That wouldn't have mattered to most teenage girls, but Cassie was not a normal teenager. She was bored.

"At least at home I could keep training," the girl murmured to herself after Darcy had dropped her off in her room one night. "If I could just get one day on my own, I could watch from a distance." Cassie started formulating a plan.

When Darcy came to get her for breakfast the next morning, Cassie was still in bed. "Wake up, sleepy head. Let's eat breakfast by the pool," Darcy said with a smile.

"I don't feel so good. I think I need to rest today," Cassie replied.

"Okay, I'll just go get us some breakfast and come hang with you."

"I think my stomach is upset. I'm just going to rest. Go to the pool. Have fun. I'll call if I need you. I promise."

Darcy looked at Cassie and crinkled her nose. "Are you sure?"

"I'm not a baby. I'll be fine."

"Okay, but call me and I can come right back."

Once Darcy was gone, Cassie quickly got ready. It was Monday, so she knew the Dora Milaje would be training about a quarter mile behind the palace. She snuck out of her room, thankful there was no Friday to tattle on her, and quietly made her way to the tree line. From there, she had an amazing view of the women practicing their formations. She watched intently, trying to memorize as much as she could before she would need to sneak back to her room.

Their fighting style was different from Aunt Nat's, not necessarily better or worse, but Cassie was sure she could add a few of their things to her own style. She desperately wanted to be the best. If she could just beat her aunt Nat in hand-to-hand, the Avengers would have to agree she belonged in the field with them. She was fourteen. Peter Parker had only been fifteen when he joined Uncle Tony and Aunt Nat against her Dad and Uncle Steve. Aunt Nat didn't seem to have a problem with him fighting at her side.

At the thought of Aunt Natasha, Cassie felt a little guilty. She had never outright defied her before today. She loved her surrogate aunt, but this was about honoring her dad's memory. Being an Avenger meant everything to her.

Cassie was just about to head back to the palace when she heard a loud noise. It was coming from the shield, and by the look on the Dora Milaje's faces, it was not expected. She watched with baited breath as the powerful women quickly entered battle formation and ran headlong towards the sound.

Cassie was about to run back to the palace to tell the others something was happening when the first missile hit. Oddly, it didn't hit the warriors directly, and that seemed intentional. As soon as the missile hit the ground, a purple gas oozed out of the hole it had made and formed a cloud over all of them. The Dora Milaje immediately fell. They were unconscious.

Knowing they needed help, Cassie started running towards the palace to warn the others. She hadn't gone far, when she heard the sound of engines roaring. She turned her head, transport vehicles were gathering the sleeping warriors. Time wasn't on her side. If she returned to the palace on foot, the whole group would be lost. With a sigh, Cassie rushed towards the fallen Dora Milaje.

The invading army laughed as she ran toward them. They didn't seem the least bit concerned about an unarmed girl. That gave Cassie an advantage. She grabbed one of the fallen women's weapons and went to work. She knocked three men down before she really had their attention.

Okoye was still on the ground, but she was beginning to shake off the affects of the gas by the time the men started coming at Cassie in groups rather than one at a time. Still unable to move, Okoye used the soldiers' distraction to call for help, while Cassie continued to hit anyone who got near her.

As soon as the invading soldiers realized help was coming, they ran for their transports. They were evacuating, but Cassie knew at least four of the Dora Milaje were already aboard. She rushed the first van and hit one of the soldiers as he attempted to climb inside. Unfortunately, she didn't hit him quite hard enough because he turned and grabbed her before she could move away. The last sight Okoye saw before help arrived was Cassie being stuffed into the van and driven away.


	11. Chapter 11

Natasha was livid. She was mad at herself for letting Cassie out of her sight. She was mad at Steve for giving her the nod, insinuating it was a good idea in the first place. She was furious with whoever had taken Cassie, and she was exasperated that Cassie had tried to take on the terrorists alone.

It didn't help matters to realize Cassie was behaving just like she would have behaved under similar circumstances. Why had she agreed to teach the girl anything? One thing was clear to Natasha as the quinjet landed in Wakanda, she should never have attempted to raise a child. People like her didn't need to be parents. The Red Room had gotten one thing right. Sterilization was the right choice.

As they got out of the quinjet, Steve took Natasha's hand. "We will get her back, Nat. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Steve," Natasha scolded as she rushed to meet Okoye.

"Your child is an impressive warrior," Okoye said as soon as Natasha was close enough to hear her. "We would all be lost without her quick thinking. She held her own well until they stopped coming at her one at a time."

"Any word?" Steve asked before Natasha could respond.

"It was a paramilitary group from Uganda. They were exacting revenge on us for failing against Thanos. We have a video. They are offering us our people back for a hefty price."

"I'll pay it," Tony said quickly then he looked at Steve. "Not a word about how we don't bow down to terrorists."

"I wasn't go to say anything other than thank you, Tony," Steve assured him.

"They don't want money," Okoye replied. "They want us or rather those of us they consider responsible. They want Captain America, Iron Man, the Black Widow, and myself. They want a public trial and an execution."

"Us for them. I say it's a fair trade," Natasha replied coldly. "Cassie shouldn't be there. I'll go."

"Red, you do realize it won't be a fair trial, right?" Tony asked.

"They won't live long enough to hold one," Natasha said with conviction. "I just Cassie safe."

"We are on the same page," Okoye replied.

"Guess we better make a plan," Steve agreed.

Tony nodded. "For the kid, I'm in."

Darcy came running to join them. Natasha noticed her tear stained face. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. She said she was sick. I shouldn't have left her."

"She's a teenager. You couldn't have known what she was planning. And, you definitely couldn't have known about the attack," Natasha replied. She really wasn't angry with Darcy. Cassie was her responsibility, and she was the one who failed.

Soon, the group had their plan in place and a location for the exchange was chosen. They were meeting just outside of the shield surrounding Wakanda. Natasha couldn't help but think of the battle they'd fought there a few years before as she, Steve, Tony, and Okoye took the long walk.

If Natasha hadn't been there for the battle, she wouldn't have realized a battle had ever been fought on the Wakandan soil. It felt odd seeing how quickly the land had healed when the world still reeled from the loss.

Everything changed with the Snap. Sure, some things were back to normal. The world's economy had recovered. Schools still taught their students. Politicians were back to lying about their true agendas. But, so many houses still sat empty in the states. So many children still overcrowded the foster home system after their parents had disappeared. Holidays were much more subdued. Time had been relegated to before the Snap and after the Snap. Thanos' name was the curse word of choice in the world they now occupied.

Natasha had once been proud of the fact that Cassie didn't meet the fate other Snap orphans had met, but now she wondered if it wouldn't have been the better option. Natasha knew two things with absolute certainty. One, she wasn't going to rest until Cassie was safe, and, two, she was going to kill each and everyone of the terrorists who had taken Cassie or she was going to die trying.

As they arrived at the designated location, Natasha scanned the crowd for Cassie. She felt a little naked without her weapons, but coming unarmed was part of the deal. They were here to surrender as far as Cassie's paramilitary captors were concerned. Of course, the other guys were heavily armed. They were outnumbered, too. There were probably twenty soldiers standing with their guns ready. The Dora Milaje and Cassie were behind them. They were chained together with cloth sacks over their heads.

Natasha's blood boiled as worse case scenarios of what Cassie might have endured in the last twenty-four hours came to mind. She desperately wished she could at least see the girl's face. If she could get a good look at Cassie, she'd find the answers she was seeking.

When the soldiers gave the signal to trade, Steve demanded the bags come off the hostages' heads. "We need to be sure these are our people," he demanded.

Natasha watched closely as Cassie's bag was removed. She looked terrified, but there were no obvious signs of torture. Natasha was grateful. She gave Cassie a slight nod before following Steve across the line.

As soon as the newly released prisoners were safely behind the shield, Tony pushed the button on the small device in his pocket. Immediately, a rocket was shot from the cloaked quinjet above them. Natasha and the others covered their ears and closed their eyes just before the loud boom and flash of bright light hit. This was their distraction. From that point forward, it was all fighting.

They disarmed the disoriented men and took them out in hand-to-hand combat. Natasha snapped the necks of everyone she took down and was pleased to see Okoye doing the same. These men didn't deserve mercy, and they'd get none from her.

The quinjet landed in the confusion and the others joined them in battle. It was quick and messy, but the Avengers were victorious.

Once they arrived back at the palace, Cassie ran to Natasha and threw her arms around her. "I'm so sorry."

Natasha just held Cassie tight for a moment then looked her in the eyes. "Did they hurt you?"

Cassie shook her head. "Not much. I was afraid. They said they were going to kill you."

"They didn't get the chance."

"I knew you'd come for me. I thought I was going to lose you. I'm so sorry. I don't want to lose another mother."

Natasha felt a lump form in her throat. "I'm here. You're safe," she whispered softly as she patted Cassie on the back.

"You are, you know," Cassie whispered.

"I'm what?"

"My mom. I mean, in my head, you're my mom. Is it wrong? I feel guilty sometimes, because I had a mom but-"

"Sh, don't feel guilty. I get it. I never thought I'd have a daughter, but if I did, it wouldn't be possible to love her more than I love you. You gave me a gift, Cassie. You let me have something I never thought I'd have."

"But, I'm still in a lot of trouble, aren't I?" Cassie sighed, finally beginning to calm down.

"So much trouble," Natasha replied softly, "but not today. The queen wants to give you an award for saving so many of her Dora Milaje with your quick thinking. I hear you took out several one on one."

"I did."

"So, today, you accept your honor. Tomorrow, we go home and you train twice as hard."

"I thought you'd probably make me stop completely."

"You took out armed men one on one, but you didn't do very well when they came after you in groups. I get that you aren't going to quit even if I stop teaching you, so I'm going to make sure you always win," Natasha said firmly. "You'll have plenty of time to train since you're grounded for the foreseeable future. And, Darcy deserves an apology. Got it?"

"Got it, Mom," Cassie replied experimentally.

Natasha hugged her a little tighter before letting go, so Steve could have his turn. Her eyes locked with Steve's for a moment, and he smiled at her. She was a mom, even though she hadn't meant to become one.

Okoye came up beside Natasha while Cassie made the rounds with the other Avengers. "She is quite a warrior," Okoye declared. "You've trained her well."

"She's determined. That's for sure," Natasha replied, not taking her eyes off Cassie. "Do you have children, Okoye?"

"I do not. W'Kabi and I were trying to have a child before the Snap. Afterward, there was much to do then Shuri started working with your friends to turn back the clock. I do not want to bring a child into the world only to rewind time and lose it. I will wait until we succeed."

"That's actually pretty wise," Natasha replied.

"Is it the reason you and Captain Rogers have not had a child together?"

"No," Natasha replied. She didn't usually give details, but for some reason, she wanted to share them with Okoye. "The Red Room made sure I would never have a baby. They sterilized me. There's too much scar tissue. Cassie is it for me, and when we fix this, if we fix this, she'll get to be raised by her own parents."

"Hmm," Okoye replied, "yet you fight to change the present. You are a noble warrior."

"I don't know about that. We lost a lot of people. I want them back, and I want Thanos dead. That's why I keep fighting."

"If you ever tire of the Avengers, I would gladly have you fight by my side. Now, let's go to the celebration. We won the day. Our people are safe. It's time to enjoy our victory."


	12. Chapter 12

**4 Years, 3 Months, 5 Days, 18 Hours post Snap (37,325 Hours post Snap)**

It had been another peculiar and long day for Steve. Ever since the science bros, as Tony himself liked to refer to them, had managed to get a hold of Pym's lab, they had been working on a way to travel back in time. It was definitely a work in progress-very slow progress.

A week earlier, Tony had managed to reconfigure his memory reenacting machine, BARF, so they could explore past encounters with the infinity stones and decide where changes needed to occur once they perfected a way to travel backward in time.

Today had been especially odd for Steve as he and Tony traveled back to his memories of the 1940's. He was actually grateful Natasha was away on a mission. It was strange enough seeing Peggy through BARF without having his lover beside him.

Rationally, Steve knew none of it was real. Peggy was gone and had been for years, but it sure didn't feel like it as he looked at his first love. Peggy was the one who really shaped the man he was today. If it weren't for her and Ursine, he'd have never been more than a sickly kid from Brooklyn.

Steve had truly loved Peggy, so seeing her was harder than he had expected. He chastised himself as he prepared for bed that night. Natasha was the woman he loved now, and she was the love of his life. But, there was a small part of Steve who wanted the life he could have had without the ice.

He wasn't even sure it was not marrying Peggy that he regretted most. Maybe it was more not marrying at all. He hadn't planned to be a soldier forever, but this current world needed him to keep being Captain America. And, it needed Natasha to keep being the Black Widow.

Steve was still ruminating in his thoughts when Natasha arrived. "Didn't expect you to wait up, soldier," she said with a small smile.

Steve pulled her into the bed beside him and hugged her. "It wasn't exactly intentional, but I'm glad your back. I hate the missions you go on without me."

"It was a quick in and out. It was almost boring," she replied before giving him a quick kiss. "How did your trip down memory lane go?"

"We didn't find anything that would help reverse the Snap."

"Hmm," Natasha replied, with pursed lips.

"Why do I get the feeling you took the mission to avoid being here for my little trip to the past?"

"Because you're very smart," Natasha replied. "What was it like?"

"Weird, very weird. It was like I was there living the moments again. It was a little hard to differentiate between what was real and what wasn't. Tony's really made some advancements."

"And, seeing Peggy again? I'm sure that part was nice," Natasha said cautiously.

"It certainly made me think about things."

"Things?"

"How much being in the ice changed my life-changed me," Steve explained. "I'm a much different person than the one who went into the ice."

"I guess that was inevitable."

"Yeah, I guess so. It was a simpler time. I guess I was just laying here thinking about how much different my life is compared to how I planned it."

"You'd have settled down with Peggy and had a family," Natasha stated matter of factly.

"Well, Peggy or someone else maybe. I wouldn't have kept being Captain America. That's for sure."

"With or without the shield, you'd have always been Captain America."

"We'll never know I guess."

"If you could go back, would you?"

"No, not unless I got to take the woman I love more than anything with me. I don't want to be anywhere in any time unless I have you by my side," Steve said with conviction. "You're the only one for me, Nat."

"Good answer, soldier. I didn't want to watch the simulation. I was afraid seeing Peggy again would make you realize you loved her more than you could ever love me."

"I couldn't love anyone as much as I love you. It did make me think though," Steve paused. "I want to marry you as soon as we fix this mess. What do you say? Will you do me the honor of being my wife?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Natasha grinned. "When this is over, we'll get married."

 **Quantum Realm**

"So, are we going to go through the portal?" Scott asked as Carol put her hand against it. "How do we know it's safe?"

"Pretty sure we won't know until we go through it," Carol informed him before stepping through it without him.

Scott shook his head and followed. What he found on the other side was definitely not what he expected. He and Carol were definitely not in San Francisco. They weren't even on Earth. Scott was still looking around when Carol called his name. "Scott, that's my ship. We must be on one of Hala's moons."

Scott followed Carol to her ship. "It looks like it's been here awhile," he said with a sigh. "Do you think it'll fly?"

"I need to look it over. Power won't be an issue. If there are an breaches in the hull, we'll have to repair them. But, eventually, we should be able to make it fly. At least, we should be able to get to Hala and get help."

As they stepped onto the ship, Carol immediately went to the cockpit with Scott trailing behind. She picked up a pager and looked at Scott. "What day did you say you got stuck in the Quantum Realm again?"

"April 27th," Scott replied.

"2018?"

"Yes, why? What did you find?"

"A distress call from Earth from April 27, 2018. According to my computer, the message is over five years old."

"What?" Scott asked. "It didn't feel like five years passed. Carol, I have to get home. I have a daughter. What happened on Earth?"

"I don't know Scott, but we'll find out. Let me run diagnostics then we'll see what we need to do to get you home."

Scott sat and watched Carol do her work, but his mind was on home. Something horrible happened while he was in the Quantum Realm. He should have known Hope would have come for him if there was any possible way. His thoughts turned to Cassie. Over five years of her life was lost to him. She was almost eleven when he went into the Realm. She'd be sixteen by now if she was still alive. The horrible realization that she might not have survived whatever happened hit him like a ton of bricks. He needed to go home.

"No hull breaches," Carol said with a small smile. "Buckle up, if we can clear the atmosphere, we should be able to get back to Earth."

"If?" Scott replied as he buckled his seatbelt. Carol only nodded.

 **5 Years, 2 Months, 3 Days post Snap (45,360 Hours post Snap)**

"Mom, can I borrow your car?" Cassie asked casually at the breakfast table.

"My car? Cassie, I don't know if you're ready to drive without one of us in the passenger seat," Natasha began.

"I've been driving with someone for months," Cassie interrupted. "You know I'm a good driver."

Natasha looked across the table at Steve for help. She found none. "She is pretty cautious," he replied.

"Do you have any idea what percentage of teenage drivers are involved in fatal accidents, Steve?"

Steve just shook his head. "No, but I have a feeling you've spent a lot of time researching it. We have to give a little, Nat. She's sixteen."

Natasha frowned and looked at Cassie. "Training room now. If you beat me, you can use the car. If not, don't even ask again for six months and I'm not going to hold back."

Cassie smiled. "Yes ma'am."

Soon, Natasha and Cassie were on the mat. Steve and Clint were watching from the sidelines. Natasha went on the attack first, but Cassie blocked her blow and countered. Natasha blocked the counter then side kicked Cassie to the mat. Before Natasha could pin her, she landed a powerful hit to Natasha's jaw. They fought for several minutes before Natasha got the upper hand again.

As Natasha was going in to pin Cassie, the girl spoke. "Okay, so if I can't borrow the car, can you take me to the health department to get on birth control?"

Natasha stopped. "Birth con-" Before Natasha could finish, Cassie took advantage of her momentary pause to pin Natasha.

Cassie smiled. "I won."

"You did," Natasha admitted. "We should probably talk about the birth control."

"No reason. I'm just going to Amber's," Cassie grinned.

Clint laughed. Steve still looked mortified, but Natasha relaxed. "You tricked me."

"I did what you taught me. When your opponent is stronger, don't forget to use their weaknesses against them. I'm pretty sure I'm your weakness. I figured the idea of me having sex would at least slow you down."

"Well-played, Cassie, well-played," Clint said as he clapped for the girl. "She's not wrong."

"Keys?" Cassie asked, putting out her hand.

"Be home before dark," Natasha sighed. "Call when you get there and before you leave. No texting and driving. And, Cas, if we need to talk about birth control or anything else, I'll listen. Just be careful."

"Okay, I promise if we ever need to really have that talk it won't be on the mat in front of these guys. Thanks, Mom."

Cassie hadn't been gone more than a few hours when Natasha got a message from Friday. "Ms. Romanoff, Mr. Stark is in the conference room with guests. He requests everyone join him there."

"Thanks, Friday. On my way."

When she arrived in the conference room, Natasha saw a very familiar face. "Lang? You're alive. How is this possible?"

"Quantum Realm," Tony answered for him. "He was stuck there, and he found a way out. This is Carol Danvers. She also goes by the name Captain Marvel, and she was stuck there, too. But, get this, she was there over twenty years and Scott over five, yet it didn't feel like time passed. We have our way back. The Quantum Realm really is the key."

"Stark said Cassie was here," Scott said as soon as there was a lull in the conversation. "I really need to see my daughter."

"She's at a friends. She should be home soon," Natasha replied. "Cassie is going to be so glad to see you. We thought you were dead."

"I know. I want to thank you for what you did for Cassie. Stark said you've really taken care of her. I can never repay you for that."

"She's your daughter. That makes her one of us. We couldn't do anything else," Natasha replied. Her heart was a little torn as the conversation turned back to the ramifications of what Scott and Carol's time in the Quantum Realm could mean for their primary mission. She was so grateful Cassie would have her father back, but she also realized her role would have to change.

"Mom, I'm back. Car's still in one piece and so am I," Cassie called out as she entered the conference room. She stopped dead in her tracks at the sight in front of her. "Dad, is that you?"

"Hi, Cassie," Scott said as he looked at his nearly grown daughter, "sorry I was away so long."

Cassie jumped into her father's arms. "You're alive. You came back."

"I'll always come for you, Cassie. I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Dad."


	13. Chapter 13

The rest of the evening was spent in celebration. Scott was alive. Carol was an obvious force to be reckoned with, and Tony was quite sure they'd be able to use this new knowledge to time travel. Natasha just sat back and watched the scene unfold.

"I can't believe I'm in the presence of Captain America," Carol said as they enjoyed takeout from Tony's favorite shawarma restaurant. "I grew up studying your work in the war. It's one of the reasons I joined the Air Force, and when my powers came, I tried to think like you. I even kept captain in my title as a tribute."

"Um, thanks. I guess we are all a little curious about you," Steve said politely. "Scott said you were stuck in the Quantum Realm for a long time. What happened?"

"I crashed my ship. I wish I could tell you how I landed in that crazy place, but I really can't remember. I'm guessing I had a concussion. It's crazy. It seems like just weeks ago I was telling Nick goodbye and giving him the pager."

"Nick?" Natasha asked.

"He was a Shield agent. He and I worked together for a little while. I wonder what happened to him."

"Nick the Shield agent as in Nick Fury?" Tony asked. Carol nodded. "Well, I'll be. I guess he wasn't pulling my leg when he said I wasn't the first. Fury became the director of Shield. He actually put the Avengers together. For a guy with one eye, he sure saw everything."

Carol winced. "I never got to make the loss of that eye up to him. Is he still alive?"

"We assume he was lost in the Snap," Steve said softly. Carol's eyes filled with tears, and Steve patted her for a moment.

Natasha wasn't impressed with the way Carol leaned in to Steve's shoulder as she cried. Steve looked uncomfortable, but Carol didn't seem to notice. When Carol had finished her cry and not moved from Steve's side, Natasha decided it was time to do something.

"Steve, honey, want to help me get dessert out of the kitchen," Natasha said in an overly saccharine voice. Steve gave her a look. She never called him honey, soldier, but never honey. She just smiled at him sweetly and he finally got the hint.

"Of course, dear," he said as he joined her in the kitchen. Once they were alone, he looked at her. "Honey?"

"Dear?" she replied, and they both laughed. "I was trying to send a message."

"You don't think-"

"Oh, but I do. Captain Marvel has a crush. I'm just defending my territory."

Steve pulled her in for a kiss. "So, I'm your territory now, am I?"

"You've been my territory for a long time. Don't forget it, soldier."

"Yes, ma'am," Steve replied pulling her into another kiss.

"Sorry for interrupting," Carol said as she entered the room. "I thought you might need an extra set of hands."

Natasha smiled, pleased to be caught in Steve's embrace. "Not a problem. It's nothing we can't pick back up later. Why don't you grab some plates. They're in the cabinet by the sink."

"Sure," Carol replied sheepishly. After Steve left with the cake, and the two women were alone, she said, "I think I might owe you an apology. I didn't know you were together. Scott didn't tell me. I guess I let my school girl crush get the better of me."

"He didn't know," Natasha replied. "It happened after the snap, but Steve and I are happy together. I wouldn't recommend you trying to change that."

"Understood. I am sorry."

"Apology accepted. Let's go eat cake."

Several hours later, everyone was tired and ready for bed. Steve showed Carol to her room before excusing himself to his own. Cassie yawned. "Want me to show you your room, Dad?"

"That's okay, princess. I'd like to talk to Natasha for a minute first. I slept while Carol flew. I'm good."

"You'll be here in the morning?"

"I'm not going anywhere. I love you, Cassie. I'm sorry I wasn't here for you when your mom and Jim-"

"Not your fault, Dad. It was scary at first, but Mo-Aunt Nat didn't leave me alone. She's taken good care of me and even trained me. I bet I could even beat Antman in a fight."

"I wouldn't recommend fighting your daughter, Scott. She doesn't fight fair," Natasha replied, schooling her features to not reveal her sudden distaste for the word aunt.

"It's not my fault the word birth control scares you," Cassie laughed, giving Natasha a goodnight hug. "Thanks for always being there for me."

"My pleasure," Natasha said with feeling.

Suddenly quiet, Cassie looked at both of them. "What happens next?"

"We keep trying to fix this mess," Natasha replied, "but, even if we can't, you still have your dad."

"What about you? Do I still have you?" Cassie asked.

Before Natasha could reply, Scott answered for her. "Nothing means more to me than you, Cassie. I'm glad Natasha has taken care of you. You needed a mom and she's filled that roll. I don't want to mess up what you have going here. Go on to bed so your mom and I can figure out this co-parenting thing."

Cassie quickly hugged her dad then hugged Natasha again before going to her room. Natasha was dumbfounded. "I don't know what to say, Scott. Thank you."

"No, thank you. Not a lot of people would have done what you did for a guy you barely knew. The only time we even fought together we were on opposite sides. It's obvious how Cassie feels about you, and I'm guessing you feel the same. I meant what I said about co-parenting. I just have two questions." Scott paused. "Does she call Steve dad?"

"No, the guys are all uncles."

"Well, that's kind of a relief." Scott paused again. "What's this about birth control? Because I don't think I'm ready for that."

Natasha laughed and told him the story of their sparring session earlier in the morning then she went on to share other things Scott might want to know about his daughter's last five years. "I hope you aren't upset about the training. I really tried to talk her out of it."

"No, I'm actually impressed. She always wanted to be my partner. How many teenagers can say they learned from the Black Widow herself?"

"About that, I know I'm probably the last influence you'd have chosen for your daughter-"

"Are you kidding? I've been geeking out for hours that the Black Widow is my daughter's other mother. You're a real hero. I'm just a guy who stole a suit."

"You're way more than that."

"And, you're way more than what they trained you to be. I mean it. Thank you for not letting Cassie get stuck in the system. Thank you for teaching her what it means to be a real hero. I owe you."

"No, you really don't owe me anything. Cassie has helped me way more than I've helped her."

"Just one more thing then I'll let you get some sleep," Scott replied.

"Sure, what can I do for you?"

"Please promise me you'll handle anything involving birth control or boys or s-" Scott paused, "I can't even say it."

Natasha laughed. "I promise I'll help, but neither of us are ready for any of that. She's a really good kid, Scott."

 **5 Years, 6 months, 2 Days post Snap (48,240 Hours post Snap)**

"The biggest problem we have is the soul stone," Tony sighed. "If we are going to go back to just before the battle and do it over, which appears to be the only way, we can't let Thanos get his hands on it."

Nebula frowned. "If I go back, I will take the torture and demand Gamora let me die."

"Won't happen," replied Rocket. "We can't let Thanos take Gamora at all. She wouldn't let you die."

"She has no choice. It's my life for half the universe and her own. I am barely flesh and blood as it is."

Steve shook his head. "Nebula, you've suffered at Thanos' hand enough. You won't die by his hand. We just need to beat him to the stone."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Tony asked. "Besides not having access to a ship during that time period, we have to save the final battle for Wakanda. It's the only way Thor will have enough time to get his Thanos slaying weapon completed on time."

"I will aim for the head," Thor assured them.

"Let's not play it that close, Thor," Tony replied. "Thanos cannot complete his gauntlet. Remember, we are sending just our consciousness back in time. We can't take anything with us, and if anything happens to our devices," he paused and held up one of the watch-like devices, "we suddenly lose all memory of the last five and a half years.

"We need to plan this carefully. Rhodey and I'll go back to before Banner fell from the sky and get Strange and the time stone on the first flight to Wakanda. Steve and Natasha can pick up Vision and Wanda and join us, but the time stone is a problem."

"We had a ship," Daisy said softly. "we could go after the soul stone."

"There's still a matter of the sacrifice," Tony replied.

"It should be me," Steve said, looking at Natasha apologetically. "Rhodey could go after Vision. You and I could go with Daisy and-"

"No," Natasha said firmly, "you are not asking me to do that."

"Nat, we need the stone. I'm not sacrificing anyone else's life."

"No, you're asking me to sacrifice your life! It's not happening, Steve. It should be me."

"Mom! No!" Cassie shouted.

"Nat, be reasonable," Steve replied at the same time.

"There's another option," Daisy replied with a frown. She paused and sat down beside Fitz before speaking again. "I can't believe I'm saying this. I tried so hard to save Coulson, but I couldn't. He died thinking we were lost, knowing May was gone. He shouldn't have had to go out that way."

"Daisy-" Fitz began.

"Fitz, it's what he'd want," Daisy whispered.

Fitz nodded slowly. "She's not wrong."

"Okay," Tony replied. "Thor and Banner will be ready when Thanos attacks, and hopefully they'll be able to save the Asguardians. If not, Thor and Rocket, you know what to do."

"We send the others straight to Earth," Rocket replied, "and we get here as fast as we can with the weapon."

"Scott?"

"I go into the Quantum Realm early and rescue Carol. Hope pulls us out and we join you in Wakanda," Scott replied.

"What about me?" Cassie asked. "What do I do?"

"Cassie, you were just a kid," Scott said. "We don't have one of these for you."

"But, I'll lose all my memories."

"You'll make new ones," Natasha replied softly. "You won't have to go through the pain. It'll be like none of this ever happened."

"I don't want to forget. I have the right to remember my life here."

Tony sighed. "Pepper and Darcy aren't going either. It's not just you. They are okay with forgetting. Pepper said she thought it would be too hard to remember events Morgan won't ever actually go through. She'd rather just remember the new timeline."

"Well, I'm not Pepper. My life here is something I want to remember. Mom, please."

"Cassie, that's a lot to put on a child. How do you honestly think ten year old you would cope with all of these memories?"

"They're my memories."

"What if I can offer an alternative?" Tony suggested. "I could do some reconfiguring on BARF when we finish off Thanos. We could give you our memories of this time in a few years when you are old enough to cope."

"It wouldn't be the same."

"But, it's something," Natasha replied. "Let us give you back your childhood, Cassie. I promise you will know all about this in time."

"Will you still train me?"

"I think your dad and Hope will probably handle that," Natasha replied softly.

"We will," Scott promised, "then you can come train with Natasha when you're older if you still want to be like your old man."

"You promise?"

"I promise," Scott assured his daughter.

"Okay, we need to make sure all the equipment is in good shape. If all goes well, tomorrow, we save the world," Tony said with a smile.


	14. Chapter 14

**More mild Agents of Shield spoilers ahead. Time to get back in the main action. Thanks for sticking with it this long, and thanks for all the reviews. I still don't own Marvel.**

* * *

Once Tony, Bruce, Shuri, and Fitz finished outfitting the time-traveling Avengers, Tony gave a last set of instructions. "Remember even though our consciousnes rather than our bodies are returning to the past, you will be able to see your watches and the watches of everyone else. If someone doesn't have a watch, something went wrong. That person won't be able to see your device and, more importantly, won't know the mission. That's why we have a few fail-safes in place. Clint's going to join Daisy as fast as he can. Shuri and Okoye will stick together. Thor and Bruce are a team. Capsycle and Red will handle their people. Rhodey will make sure I'm the right me, and Thor will check on Rocket, since he doesn't have a partner. Clint and Scott, you guys need to do a phone check in.

"Nebula, I apologize for sending you back with one of these, but if Thor and Rocket fail to convince the guardians to head to Earth-"

"I will need to prevent my sister from giving up the soul stone's location," Nebula answered.

"We'll come for you as soon as it's over," Rocket promised.

"You sure you don't want to go back in time, Fitz?" Daisy asked.

"Positive. I don't want to remember a world without Jemma. Come wake me when it's over," Fitz sighed.

"That leaves Fitz, Pepper, Darcy, and Cassie staying behind," Tony added. "It is imperative that we travel back at the exact times we are assigned. There's no waiting around and still getting to the original start time, because all of our devices are in sync. Don't miss your window or you might not have time to do your job. Any questions?" No one spoke up. "Cap, time for your pep talk."

"I honestly don't have much to say. We all know what's at stake. Winning is the only option. Whatever the cost, stop Thanos from completing his gauntlet. Do it for those we've lost. Do it for each other. The universe is counting on us, and while we failed apart, we will not fail together."

Ten minutes later, Clint, Thor, Rocket, Bruce, and Daisy lay on the stretchers in the infirmary and turned on their devices. Natasha ached a bit as she held Clint's hand as the empty shell that was once Clint flat-lined. This was a one way trip to the past. Win or lose, they would be reliving the last five and a half years. She was grateful Pepper and Darcy had chosen to take Cassie and Morgan away before they started the trip backward.

The next team to leave included Shuri, Okoye, Tony, Rhodey, and Scott. They followed the first team by ten minutes then it was time for Steve, Natasha, Carol, and Nebula to depart.

Just as Steve and Nebula hit the buttons on their watches, there was a huge power surge. Fitz shouted before Natasha and Carol could activate their own. "Wait, stop! Something isn't right!"

Natasha could only sit there and watch as Steve's body became as lifeless as the others. Fitz rushed to the computer. "The Quantum particles are becoming unstable. I need to do a full diagnostic before we attempt to send anyone back."

"But, Tony said-" Natasha began.

"And, he was right. Time is going on without you at the moment. Every minute longer you stay here is a minute the others are in the past without you, but if I don't make a few corrections, you might not make it back there at all."

"Did Steve make it?" Natasha asked in a panic.

"I'm checking for his biological markers as we speak," Fitz paused and punched several keys on the computer. "They made it. Now, I just have to stabilize the field a bit." Fitz sighed. "I think I see the problem. We've overtaxed the system. We thought sending you in three groups would prevent this anomaly. We were wrong. I'm not sure I can send you both back in time. We may have to make a choice."

Natasha and Carol looked at each other in shock. There was a real chance one of them would not be going. Carol spoke first. "You should go."

Natasha sighed. "We both know that's not true. I would have followed Steve into any battle five years ago, with or without my memories. You didn't know Scott. You need your memories and the team needs you. Just tell Steve, tell him I'm sorry. Tell him I love him."

"I'm sorry, Natasha. I really am sorry. I'll give him the message," Carol replied.

"It's stable enough for one," Fitz interrupted then he looked at Natasha. "I'll keep trying. If there's a way to get the system stabilized, I will find it."

"I know, Fitz. Thank you."

 **72 Hours before Snap, Daisy's Team**

Daisy felt nauseous as she woke up in her own body. She looked around in a daze. She was still standing in the street. Her battle against Talbot had been over for mere minutes. As soon as the woozy feeling started to fade, Daisy broke into a full sprint toward the zephyr.

The first person she saw was Phil. She through her arms around her father figure and cried. Phil held her tightly. "You did it. You did good. It's all over. No more time loop. Earth is safe," he said softly.

"That's just it. Earth isn't safe. It's not over. It's just beginning. We need to get the team back on the zephyr now."

Phil gave her a puzzled look but got on the coms to call the team, while Daisy called the phone number she had committed to memory. "Clint? Are you with me? We're on our way."

 **72 Hours before Snap, Clint's Farm**

"Laura?" Clint shouted as he ran in from the barn, "Cooper, Lila, Nathaniel?"

Laura came out of the kitchen. "Clint, is something wrong?"

Clint picked his wife up in the air and spun her around before kissing her. "I never thought I'd get to hold you in my arms again. I love you so much."

As his children entered the room, Clint hugged each of them tightly. "Daddy, what's wrong?" Lila asked.

"For the first time in a very long time, absolutely nothing, sweetie."

 **72 Hours before Snap, San Francisco**

Scott jumped out of bed as soon as his legs could hold him up. He was back in 2018, and little Cassie was asleep in the next room. He ran next door and woke up his daughter.

"Cassie," he said gently, "I need to talk to you."

"What is it, Daddy?" the little girl asked.

"I want to tell you that Daddy has to take trip. I have to help the Avengers."

"I thought they were fighting."

"Not any more, at least not with each other, but something very big is happening and they need my help."

"Okay, Daddy. Do I need to cover for you?"

"I have that all taken care of this time, Cassie. You will be with your mom. If anything goes wrong, come here, okay? I'll either come get you or one of the Avengers will come."

"Can you send the Black Widow if you can't come? She's the coolest besides you and Ms. Hope."

"You think so, do you?" Steve said, an amused smile on his face. "Tell you what, I'll make sure you get to meet her as soon as this is over."

"Really, Daddy?"

"I have it on very good authority that she would like to see you, too."

"The Black Widow knows about me?"

"Oh, yeah, and she thinks you're the coolest."

 **72 Hours before Snap, Thor's Ship**

"Valkyrie, I need you to get the Asgardians off of this ship. Loki, give me the tesseract and go with her," Thor bellowed.

"Brother, you know the tesseract is destroyed-" Loki began.

"We just traveled over five years back in time, so we already know that isn't exactly true," Bruce interrupted. "It's a long story, but a lot of people are going to die, including you, if Thanos completes his gauntlet. We just lived through that and it wasn't pretty." He paused a moment, "Oh, and I need to get to Earth the fast way if you could help me out, Heimdall."

 **72 Hours before Snap, New York**

Tony jogged up to Pepper. "I love you more than anything, but I need you to cancel our dinner reservations. I have to go stop a mad titan hell bent on killing half the universe."

"Tony-" Pepper began, but he silenced her with a kiss.

"Believe it or not, you told me to do this or you will if I fail and people turn to dust. Just trust me. After this is over, I'm retired. Cap and Red can deal with this stuff without my help from now on. I just want to spend every possible minute with you and Morgan."

"Tony, you aren't making any sense. When did you talk to Steve Rogers? Why do you want to spend time with Uncle Morgan?"

"Not your crazy uncle, our son. Go with Happy to the Compound and stay there until this is over. Pick up a pregnancy test on the way. That'll prove I'm telling the truth. Oh, that and the large round ship you'll probably see in the sky in a few hours, but don't worry, we have a plan."

"Tony, you're scaring me," Pepper replied.

"I'm not trying to scare you. I just want to know you're safe. Now, I have to go pick up a spider before he takes off on his field trip and convince a wizard to follow me to Wakanda."

 **72 Hours before Snap, Wakanda**

"My king, please join me in Shuri's lab. We have a story to tell you and a battle to prepare for," Okoye said as her eyes met T'Challa's for the first time since watching him die before her eyes.

T'Challa nodded and followed Okoye. Before they could arrive in Shuri's lab, the girl was in the corridor running to hug her brother. "I have missed you so much!"

"Since breakfast?" T'Challa asked with a puzzled look.

Shuri laughed. "Try the last five years. I've now had to rule this country longer than you. Come, let us fill you in so that does not become my job again."

 **72 Hours before Snap, A Hotel in Cuba**

Steve tried to shake off his disoriented state of mind. He looked around. He was in his and Sam's hotel room. He remembered this day Sam was meeting with one of their contacts. He wouldn't be back until nightfall.

Steve looked at his watch. They had plenty of time to let Sam complete his mission before heading after Wanda and Vision. He walked across the hallway to Natasha's room, and knocked on the door.

Natasha answered with a smirk on her face. "Morning, Steve." Steve immediately pulled her into his arms and kissed her as he walked them into her hotel room and kicked the door closed behind them.

He assumed she was still a little disoriented when she didn't immediately respond to his kiss, but it didn't take her long to catch on and return the kiss. He picked her up and plopped her onto the bed before settling in beside her and peppering her neck with kisses. "We've got plenty of time before Sam gets back," Steve whispered between kisses, "I just want to show you how much I love you before we go through this again."

Natasha stopped him from kissing her by putting a hand on each cheek and looking him in the eyes. "I love you, too, Steve. I've loved you for so long."

Steve immediately kissed her again and no words passed between them for a long time. As Natasha lay on his chest, both of them completely spent, she finally spoke again. "Why now? We've been dancing around this for months. Why today?"

Steve gave her a concerned look then he grabbed her right hand. The watch wasn't there. He screamed out in anguish. She didn't remember.

* * *

 **Yes, I am well aware I am currently torturing Steve and Natasha. Don't panic. At least, they got a second chance at their first time, right? Stay tuned. I have this story completely planned out. There is definitely more to come.**


	15. Chapter 15

Natasha slid off of Steve's chest and wrapped herself in the sheet. He was obviously very upset, and that was more than a little disconcerting after the passion they had just shared. She waited until he seemed a little calmer before speaking again. "I don't exactly know what's going on here, Steve. I thought we were having a pretty special moment."

"We were. We are," Steve began, "Nat, I love you more than anything. I've been sleeping by your side for the last five years, holding you in my arms every single night."

"Steve-"

"I'm not crazy. You just don't remember any of it. You were supposed to come back with me, Nat."

"I don't have any idea what you're talking about, Steve. If this is some kind of a joke-"

"You know me better than that, Nat. I'm telling you the truth. Three days from now, we will be battling a mad titan named Thanos. He's bent on killing half the universe. We have done all of this before, and we failed. We've spent the last five and a half years trying to travel back to this moment so we could defeat him. I'm not lying. You and I were supposed to travel back together."

Natasha took in a deep breath. Steve was telling her the truth. She didn't doubt him, but suddenly she had more questions than answers. "Start at the beginning. Tell me everything I need to know."

Steve proceeded to tell Natasha about their battle. "We lost so many people, Natasha-Bucky, Sam, Wanda, T'Challa, Peter. Clint lost his whole family."

Natasha sucked a breath in. "All of them?"

Steve nodded. "We thought we lost Scott, too. You and I raised his daughter Cassie. You were an incredible mom."

"Mom? I was a mom. That's a little hard to fathom."

"Not really. You were a natural," Steve paused. "She was counting on your memories to remind her of the time you spent together. Nat, you've lost so much."

Natasha frowned. "And, I missed out on us falling in love, too."

"No, that's something you didn't miss. Our feelings were already there. I was in love with you before the Snap. Circumstances just made us decide to act on those feelings. We're good together. We were going to get married as soon as this was over."

"Married? I can honestly say I've never been in a long term relationship, and you're telling me we work out so well I agree to marry you. Steve, this is a lot to take in all at once."

"I know. We just have to stop Thanos then we can focus on us. I want there to still be an us. Can that happen?"

"I want us, too. I'm sorry I can't remember."

"Me too, but we will get through this and we'll make new memories together. We just have to get Wanda and Vision and head to Wakanda. Tony and the others will meet us there."

"Are we okay with working with Tony?"

"We worked things out years ago. We lost because we weren't united. This time, we will be working as a team. We aren't going to let it happen again."

 **New York**

Tony beat Bruce to Dr. Strange's house. Stephen answered the door with a puzzled look on his face. "I have to admit I didn't expect to see Iron Man at my door, and I am not easily surprised," Stephen said wryly.

"Oh, I think my arrival is probably the first surprise of many in store for you today. We need to talk, Strange. It's about the time stone. It's in danger."

"I'm sworn to-"

"Protect it, yeah, I've already heard. Good news is I'm going to help you do that. The bad news is you failed spectacularly the first time. Let's see. How can I explain this? Oh, I know. I'm back from the future," Tony paused and looked at Peter. "See, kid, you aren't the only one who can make pop culture references." Turning his attention back to Stephen and Wong, he continued, "The short version goes like this. Thanos is coming He's a very powerful titan bent on killing lots of people. All he needs are the Infinity stones, and, by now, he probably already has two of them. You have one, my friend Vision has another, and we have a team going after the final one as we speak. Five years ago, we lost. You looked into over 14 billion possible outcomes and found only one where we won. You sacrificed the time stone to keep me alive. Presumably, you did that because you realized time travel was the only solution. Of course, I couldn't ask you about it because you didn't make it. We are kind of playing it by ear at the moment. Any second now, the Hulk is going to crash into this building. When he does, we have to high tail it to the quinjet then you can take your time looking at the outcomes again and tell us if we are on the right track."

Stephen didn't have time to respond before Bruce fell through the ceiling. He was still staring at Bruce with his mouth wide open when Tony spoke again. "I'm guessing that was enough proof for you. Let's get out of here."

 **The Quinjet with Coulson**

"Absolutely not!" Melinda said firmly. "We find another way."

"It doesn't sound like there is another way, May," Phil said softly. "I guess parasailing will have to wait."

"I can't do this," May said softly. "You're asking too much."

"I'm asking you to let me go and save everyone else. I die either way. Let me save you."

"Phil-" May began.

"She's right," Daisy said softly. "This is asking too much of May, but I've seen how the future plays out if we lose. Coulson, I couldn't have asked for a better father figure. You have been so patient with me, even when I didn't deserve it. I can't believe I'm saying this, but it doesn't have to be May making the sacrifice. I'll do it."

"Daisy-" May began, the anger welling up inside of her.

"This is how it has to be, May. You know there isn't any other way," Phil said calmly. "Daisy, I'm really proud of you. You can do this. Save them all for me."

Clint looked on at the conversation in silence. There wasn't anything he could say that would make this easier on Coulson's team. He just tried to keep focusing on the mission. His family's lives depended on the outcome of this mission. Failure was not an option.

 **48 Hours before Snap, Wakanda**

Steve looked around the table at his fellow Avengers. Tony and Bruce had completed their first objective, so Dr. Strange and the time stone were now safely secured in Wakanda, just like Vision's mind stone. The Guardians were there, too. Only Rocket and Groot were missing, and they wouldn't be arriving until Thor had his new weapon. Scott, Carol, Dr. Pym, and the Vandynes were already present. Coulson's team had just arrived, and they looked pretty rough.

Steve liked Daisy. She had been a great addition to the team. He couldn't help but feel sorry for her as she held the soul stone almost reverently in her hands. Steve only hoped Phil Coulson's sacrifice was the last one they'd have to make this time around.

Natasha sat to Steve's right. He occasionally traced patterns on her hand with his own. He knew she was struggling with her own loss of memories, but he was grateful she seemed to accept their relationship. If he'd lost the chance to hold her in his arms, he didn't know if he would have survived.

Bucky and Sam were sitting to Steve's left. Like the others, they were on the quiet side. But, Steve was just grateful they were alive. If everything would just go according to plan, they'd stay that way.

Steve cleared his throat. "I know the story we've told you is a lot to take in, but we've spent a whole lot of time coming up with this plan. It can work. Dr. Strange has seen us succeed using the time stone. We just have to play our parts. Under no circumstances, do we let Thanos get his hands on even one more stone. We sacrificed the tesseract to save the Asgardians, but each stone increases the titan's strength. He now has two stones, and that's not ideal. But, Tony and the others who fought Thanos on Titan were almost successful in defeating him with both stones the last time. Working as a team, we can hold him off long enough for Thor to get here. We won't fail again."

"The captain is right," Stephen said. "There can't be any veering off course. We have to stick to the plan if we are going to win. Even the smallest variation could cost us the victory."

"I still believe it would be wisest if we destroyed the stones," Vision replied.

"I won't do it," Wanda replied. "We stick with the plan."

"I swore an oath to protect the time stone," Stephen added. "Destroying it is not an option."

"What if we just destroyed the soul stone?" Peter Quill suggested.

"No," Stephen replied quickly, "their friend sacrificed his life to acquire it, and, unless I miss my guess, his soul is still inside. I need to study it when this is over, with your permission, of course," he added as he looked at Daisy.

Daisy and Melinda exchanged looks before Melinda answered. "I don't think that would be a problem, but I need your word nothing will happen to it."

"You have my word."

"It might be a good idea for all of us to get some rest. T'Challa has set us up some quarters. We will reconvene tomorrow to go over the plan again," Steve suggested before standing up to exit the room.

Natasha rose to follow him. "I hope I wasn't being too presumptuous, but I had T'Challa put us together," Steve whispered into her ear.

Natasha smiled. "I think I can live with it."

"Good, I'm not used to sleeping without you by my side."

They hadn't made it far down the hallway when Carol caught up to them. "I didn't think we should have this conversation in front of the others, but I have a message from Natasha," she paused briefly, "um, the other Natasha."

"This should be interesting," Natasha replied wryly.

Carol gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry, I want you to know I didn't want to take your place. Future you made the decision to stay behind when we realized only one of us could travel back. You said you'd have followed Steve into battle even if you didn't have your memories. You also wanted me to tell Steve you loved him and you were sorry."

"Thank you," Natasha said softly.

"I want you to know I didn't come back with the intention of trying to take Steve away from you. I see how good you are together. This really was just a horrible coincidence."

Natasha gave her a puzzled look. "Okay, I believe you."

"Thank you, Carol. We'll see you in the morning," Steve said before pulling Natasha towards their room.

Once they arrived, Natasha sat down on the bed. "Do I even want to know what that was about?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Steve laughed. "You're cute when your jealous."

"I didn't say I was jealous. Do I have a reason to be jealous, Rogers?"

"You? Never. You're my girl. You're the love of my life. Of course, you and Carol may have gotten off to a rocky start. She had a little crush on me, but you set her straight, dear."

"Dear?" Natasha asked, raising an eyebrow. "I know I didn't let you get by with calling me dear, soldier."

Steve laughed. "It's a funny story actually, and I'll be happy to tell you all about it later. For now, I'd much rather kiss you."

"That could be arranged," Natasha replied coyly before pulling his face down to her own. "I could get used to this."

"Good, because I am never going to stop showing you how much I love you."

"Less talking, more showing, soldier," Natasha replied before bring her lips to his own.


	16. Chapter 16

**Morning of Snap, Take 2**

It was disorienting. One minute she was arguing that the risks were hers to take and the next, with the flip of a switch she was here. Here was different. Here was good. Kissing? Kissing was very good. "Wait, who am I kissing?" she thought before opening her eyes.

He was there with his beard back in place and his slightly longer hair. She'd made it back to him. She gently pushed his lips away so she could talk. "I guess I missed something, because we definitely weren't doing this last time around," Natasha said with a smile.

Steve looked confused at first then he grabbed her hand, so he could see the time watch. "You're here. Carol said it wasn't stable enough for both of you."

"Fitz tried to talk me out of it, but I couldn't stay away. He finally got it going well enough to risk it. I wanted to be here with you."

"I missed you," Steve replied.

"It seems like you replaced me with me," Natasha laughed. "I'd be jealous, but that seems a bit pointless since you were with me."

"Yeah, about that, I guess I should have looked for the watch before I started kissing you. For the record, I now know without any doubt that I should have kissed you before the Snap."

"Oh, yeah? Care to elaborate, soldier?"

"Let's just say you didn't push me away. You were disappointed about not having your memories though."

"Well, now I'll have them. How's the mission going?"

"All three stones are here. It's just a matter of time before Thanos shows. Hopefully, Thor and Rocket are getting the weapon ready. I don't want to hold him off any longer than necessary."

Natasha hadn't had much time to catch up on what she had missed before the battle started. There were certainly more Avengers on the battlefield this time, but without his battle on Titan to keep him busy, Thanos arrived much earlier. Natasha tried to keep her eyes on Steve just has she had five years earlier, but they were separated in the chaos. She ended up with Okoye and Wanda again, and the three women fought hard. Natasha was exhausted and running on pure adrenaline when she finally caught up to Steve. He, Clint, Tony, Carol, Bucky, T'Challa, Mantis, and Peter Quill were trying to manhandle the gauntlet off of the Titan's hand.

Natasha ran to assist them. Just as she was about to join the fight, Thanos knocked Steve to the ground with a powerful punch. As Steve hit the ground, Carol blasted the titan twice causing him to stumble and allowing the others to pull the gauntlet from his hand. Subduing the titan was still a problem, and Natasha tried hard not to think about Steve's possible injuries as she joined the others. But, as time passed and Steve didn't move, Natasha started to panic. Clint was closest to Natasha. He must have sensed her fear because he told to go to Steve.

Natasha rushed to Steve's side. He had bumped his head on a rock. There wasn't much blood, but Steve was unconscious. She checked for a pulse, but he had none. She screamed for help, and Bucky ran to their side. "You start compressions. I'll do the rescue breathing," she ordered.

They had done three rounds of compressions by the time Thor arrived. As promised, he went straight for Thanos's head. Natasha could hear the cheering of her friends in the background. They had won the battle. The mad titan was dead, but Natasha didn't feel like celebrating. "You don't get to die on me, soldier. Do you hear me? I don't want to live in a world without you," she cried before delivering two more rescue breaths.

T'challa called for a transport and told Shuri to be ready, and they took off for the palace. This time, there was no slow walk of defeat. Instead, they rushed as quickly as they could towards the palace. Natasha and Bucky didn't stop CPR until Shuri and her team took over and rushed him into medical. Natasha tried to follow, but Okoye pulled her back. "Let them work. You would be in the way. Sit down my friend. We will wait with you. The princess will take care of your lover."

Natasha wanted to argue, but she knew Okoye was right. Clint brought her a bottle of water. "Drink this. We all overexerted ourselves out there. You don't need to be dehydrated. Cap will need you to help him recover, so you have to take care of yourself."

Natasha took the bottle from Clint's hand. "What if he doesn't wake up?"

"He will. The man slept seventy years in the ice and woke up. Do you really think a little bump on the head is going to do him in?"

"I wasn't fast enough. If I had just gotten there sooner-"

"You were doing your job. Stopping Thanos was the mission. We all knew the risks and we all knew the cost if we failed. Cap wouldn't have wanted you to risk the mission for him."

"I can't lose him, Clint."

Tony came and sat beside Natasha. "None of us are willing to let that happen. You and Capsycle are going to have many more years to make us all sick with your lovey dovey stuff. Captain America is resilient, but Steve Rogers the man is even stronger. This is the same guy who wouldn't take no for an answer when the recruiters told him he was to weak and scrawny to fight the Nazis. He is going to fight his way back to you."

"Yeah," Clint agreed, "we didn't come this far to lose Steve. He'll pull through. I'll be giving you away in no time."

"Heck, I'll pay for the wedding," Tony added.

"Don't let Tony plan it though," Rhodey said as he joined them. "He'll do the whole thing in red, white, and blue." He paused before continuing, "I talked to Washington. I told my superiors what we just prevented. It'll take a little time, but we'll try and get Cap's status officially changed from fugitive to hero as soon as possible. You'll all be able to go home soon, maybe even by the time Cap is fully recovered."

Natasha only nodded. She couldn't shake the image of Steve's lifeless body from her mind. He was her home. If he didn't make it, she would never have a home again. They sat in relative silence for what felt like an eternity before Shuri joined them.

"Captain Rogers is in the cryogenic chamber. We were able to stabilize him enough to put him to sleep. The serum should heal his body over time. We won't know whether the serum will fully restore brain function for awhile," Shuri said quietly. "It's going to be a waiting game. You can sit with him a few minutes if you want."

"Thank you," Natasha replied as she followed Shuri to the chamber. "How soon can you wake him up?"

Shuri frowned. "It could be days. It could be months. I will monitor his progress. The serum would work faster if he weren't frozen, but I am not sure he would be able to live long enough for it to do it's job. He shouldn't be alive. A lesser man would have died on impact. He has a skull fracture and significant damage to his temporal lobe. It is going to be a difficult recovery."

"But, you believe he will recover?"

"I believe he will live. Recovery is an entirely different issue. The brain is more complicated than even my super computers. I promise to do everything in my power to help him."

"Thank you."

"It may not be the best time to bring this up, but Okoye spoke to me about what the ones who trained you did to your body-about your inability to have a child."

"You're right. It isn't the best time. Steve and I have already dealt with the issue. We have our memories of Cassie and we will enjoy Clint's kids. There's no reason to dwell on what we can't change."

"What if it could be changed?"

"My scar tissue-"

"Wouldn't be an issue. The fetus would be grown here in an artificial womb. I realize this is a lot to put on you right now, but I believe you could not only have a child with the captain but also help better his chances of recovery."

"Explain."

"I would do some genetic modifications to the embryo. It would not be a clone of Captain Rogers, but I could ensure the child would be a compatible donor. The umbilical cord contains stem cells that could conceivably help with brain repair. If we ensure the child is a match and that the child inherits the super soldier serum, I believe we can greatly increase the odds of your captain's brain fully healing itself."

"Our baby could save Steve?"

"Yes, I believe so. It could be unnecessary. He could recover on his own, but I doubt either of you would consider a baby unwelcome."

"Pregnancy takes nine months and Steve isn't exactly in a position to give you a sample."

"I'll be doing genetic modifications. Obtaining a sample while he is frozen would not be an issue. And, pregnancy normally takes nine months, but this wouldn't be a normal pregnancy. We have been using the artificial womb for years here, and a fetus can be grown to term in five months without any adverse affects. I was grown in one myself. My mother's pregnancy with T'challa was very difficult. My father did not want to risk his queen's life a second time. Genetic engineering is relatively new here, but the process is not," Shuri smiled. "Honestly, the sooner you agree, the sooner I can fix your captain."

* * *

 **The battle is won, but poor Steve still needs to recover. Thanks for reading. There's still a bit more to come, but they have dealt with Thanos. I still don't own Marvel.**


	17. Chapter 17

**6 Hours post Victory**

Clint walked Natasha to her room after Shuri insisted visiting hours were over. Natasha had a lot to think about before morning. "Did Shuri tell you her idea?" Natasha asked, breaking the silence between them.

"She did," Clint replied. "She also said you needed to think about it. I guess that part surprised me a bit."

"It's a big decision, Clint. We are talking about creating a human life in a lab for the sheer purpose of saving someone else. Would Steve even consider that ethical?"

"Probably not," Clint conceded, "but we both know you'd do anything to save Cap, ethical or not. Besides, we aren't talking about harvesting it's organs. The baby would be fine. Shuri just needs the umbilical cord. What's the real problem, Nat?"

Natasha sighed. "Do you remember when Cassie was kidnapped?" Clint nodded, so Natasha continued. "It wouldn't have happened if she weren't trying to be a hero. Cassie wanted to be a hero like her dad, Clint. She could have been a normal kid, but she was determined to be an Avenger."

"I'm not following, Nat. What's this got to do with the baby?"

"Everything! We are talking about a child genetically engineered to be a super soldier. Shuri believes the baby will have to inherit the serum to be a match for Steve. My child would have a target on it's back from day one, and serum running through it's veins that would take normal out of the equation. This baby would have it's life planned out from day one because of abilities that we made sure it inherited."

Clint laughed. "Nat, super serum or no super serum, you would make sure the kid had a choice. We aren't talking about raising a baby to be a weapon here. This isn't some crazy Hydra experiment."

"It feels a little like one."

"It's not, but I got to be honest with you, any kid of Captain America and the Black Widow is probably going to choose our line of work. Think of it this way, you are just ensuring the kid is strong enough to do the job and has the healing abilities it's dad has. I see this as a win-win. Cap makes a full recovery and the two of you get a child of your own-a child you don't have to give back. Stop overthinking this and just go ahead and tell Shuri yes. She's offering something we both know you want."

"Do you think Steve will be able to forgive me?"

"For making him a dad? I think he'll be thrilled."

"And, for the genetic engineering?"

"Nat, Cap loves you. If he and I were discussing this because you'd been hurt, he would make the same call. As for the kid, we're Avengers, we'll protect it. Nobody's going to turn this kid into anything he or she doesn't want to be."

Natasha nodded. Her decision was made. She was going to do it. She was going to save Steve and become a mother. What a difference twenty-four hours had made!

 **15 Hours post Snap**

"These pills will cause an increase in hormones and stimulate multiple eggs to mature," Shuri explained. "I will start making the preparations, and in two weeks, we should be ready to harvest the eggs. Would you like a boy or a girl? Green eyes or blue? Red hair or blonde?"

"You can get that specific?" Natasha asked, slightly shocked.

"Of course," Shuri replied. "Just tell me what you want and I can make it happen."

"Just a healthy baby who can help Steve will be fine. Surprise me on the rest."

Tony was standing beside them as Shuri explained the procedure. He laughed. "When it's time for Morgan to have a sibling, we are definitely coming to Wakanda. You think you can help us design him a little sister, Shuri? I think going through Pepper's pregnancy with Morgan for a second time is going to just about kill me. I like the idea of not having to do it a third time."

Shuri laughed. "Only if I get to make sure the next one is more like your wife. Morgan is too much like you."

"Ouch," Tony replied, pretending to be offended.

Shuri left to check on another project and Tony motioned Natasha over to some chairs. "I have to go back to the States today. I'm taking Rhodey, Vision, Banner, Parker, Danvers, Lang, and Thor with me. Strange is tagging along, too. He wants to get back to his sanctorum and do some research on the soul stone. He thinks he might be able to save Coulson."

"That's great, Tony."

"Hopefully, by the time Coulson's team gets back with Fitz, he'll have found something useful. Saving half the universe was a big win, but, with Cap down, it feels a little hollow. I'm going to get Washington to do right by you guys. When Steve is better, you can come home. We'll get things ready for baby Capsycle or baby Red. Don't worry about any of the details. Falcon, Maximoff, and Barnes are staying with you. Barton is sticking around a few more days then flying home to be with the family. I don't think he wants to leave until Shuri has a little more information on Cap," Tony paused and let out a breath. "I'll get a space ready for Barnes, too. He fought hard yesterday, and Shuri seems to think the triggers are gone. I need to let go of the things I can't change, and the planet needs Avengers who can put the past behind them and work together."

"That's awfully grown up of you, Tony," Natasha smirked. "I know it can't be easy."

"Not even a little easy," Tony agreed. "Forgiving Barnes is way harder than fighting Thanos, but it's what has to be done. I'm retiring for good this time. I can't be Iron man and be the dad Morgan deserves. I'm going to put in a recommendation that Steve and Coulson, if Strange succeeds, lead Shield this time around. I'm also going to suggest we start a new organization to handle the stuff up there," he said, pointing to the sky. "Danvers knows what's out there. She would make a good leader. We could put part of the team on a space station to kind of monitor things and keep this from happening again."

"That's a good idea. We need to stay ready. Thanos can't be the only threat to Earth. I'm pretty sure Steve will say yes. Retirement isn't in the cards for us. This baby will have super serum and powerful people will figure it out eventually. I want to be in the know, so I can take out any threats myself."

"You wouldn't be you if you let someone else handle them for you," Tony said with a smile. "Take care of yourself, Red."

 **6 Weeks, 2 Days, and 1 Hour post Victory**

Natasha looked at the small container beside Steve in awe. It was hard to fathom that their baby was growing inside of it. She still felt some apprehension about the child's future, and she was anxious to tell Steve about the baby.

She'd hopefully be telling him very soon. Shuri's last tests had promising results. The serum was working over time, and Shuri felt comfortable waking Steve. They wouldn't know the extent of the damage until he was fully awake.

Natasha looked from the baby's chamber to Steve's. The thawing process was almost complete. She prayed a silent prayer that he would be okay as Shuri opened the chamber. Steve sucked in a big breath almost instantly. He was shivering.

Thirty minutes passed before Natasha heard his voice. "Natasha," he whispered, "Nat? Where's Nat?"

"I'm right here, Steve," Natasha replied, moving closer to him and putting her hand on his extremely cold one. "I'm here."

"Nat," Steve repeated as he clasped the hand in his grasp, "did we win?"

"Thanos is dead. We won, soldier. You gave us quite a scare," Natasha replied, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"And, you're okay? Bucky, Sam, Wanda, the others?"

"All okay, Steve. Everyone is okay. We did it."

"Then it's worth it," Steve said grimly.

"Why the frown, soldier? We made it. You're awake. We were afraid you wouldn't be okay, but you're fine. You remember everything. Steve, everything is okay."

"Nat, I can't see," Steve finally confessed. "It's a small price to pay, I guess, but I can't see anything. I'm blind."

Natasha and Shuri exchanged frantic looks. Natasha squeezed Steve's hand even tighter, while Shuri shined a light in his eyes. "It's going to be okay, Steve," Natasha finally managed to reply.

"Captain Rogers, you have significant damage to your temporal lobe. We weren't sure how it would affect you, but I will do everything I can to help."

"Will the stem cells return his eye sight?" Natasha asked softly.

"It's still theoretical, but I believe our chances of success remain the same."

"Stem cells?" Steve asked.

"Captain, I'm going to give you some privacy. I'll be back soon to check on you," Shuri replied. "I think Natasha has something she would rather share with you in private."

"Nat?"

"I'm still here, Steve."

"What was Shuri talking about?"

"Shuri believes she can help your brain recover using embryonic stem cells."

"She wants to do what? Where would she get those? I won't let them harm a baby for-"

"Nobody will be harmed, Steve. The cells will come from the umbilical cord."

"Wouldn't it be hard to find a match?"

"Not as hard as you'd think," Natasha took a deep breath. "We have a guaranteed match already. We just have to wait for the baby to fully develop."

"Wow, what are the odds? I'd have thought it would be more difficult."

"There was a bit of a catch. The baby needed to have your blood type and your serum."

Steve frowned. "My serum? What are you not telling Me, Nat?"

"We needed a genetic match, so Shuri ensured we would have one. You're going to be a father, Steve."

"But, you can't-"

"Wakanda has advanced technology. I still can't carry a child, but our baby is growing in an artificial womb. Before you say anything, I know it raises some ethical questions but this baby isn't just here to repair the damage. We'll get to raise a child together. We can be a family."

"Oh, Nat, we didn't need a baby to be a family. You have always been enough for me. You're sure the baby won't be hurt? Because I'd rather stay like this than risk our child."

"I'm positive. The baby will not be affected at all."

Steve nodded. "I just hope I get to see our baby."

"This will work, Steve," Natasha assured him, even though she didn't know herself.

Natasha talked to Steve about the things he'd missed for the next few minutes. He nodded occasionally and seemed relieved then suddenly he started convulsing. Shuri rushed into the room.

"He's having a seizure," Shuri informed her. "It's not uncommon with brain injuries." Shuri stabilized him and looked over the test results. "This doesn't look good."

"What?" Natasha asked.

"I think we should put Captain Rogers back in the cryo chamber. Keeping him awake could cause more damage."

Natasha took Steve's hand again. "Steve, we should probably listen to her."

Steve nodded. "I don't want to leave you. Don't let them keep me asleep. I can't wake up in another seventy years and not have you."

"I promise. I won't let that happen. Even if the baby and I have to sleep for seventy years with you, you won't be alone. I love you Steve."


	18. Chapter 18

**5 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days post Victory**

The incessant beeping was the first thing Steve noticed as he slowly regained consciousness. The music was the second. Someone was playing an old jazz song by Duke Ellington. "At least it isn't a baseball game I've already seen," Steve thought as he tried to assess his current situation.

He remembered waking up before in New York after his seventy year nap first then memories of Natasha started flowing into his subconscious. Finally, the two battles with Thanos came into his mind. He was supposed to be blind. He remembered that much then he had the seizure, and Natasha had made him a promise that she'd be with him no matter how long he slept. They were having a baby. Why had it taken so long for him to remember the baby?

Steve knew he needed to open his eyes, but he was afraid. What if the world had moved on without him again? What if something had gone wrong and Natasha couldn't keep her promise? What if he was still blind? He wasn't sure he was ready to know the answers to any of those questions.

"Shouldn't he be awake by now?" a familiar voice said.

"By all accounts, he should have opened his eyes," Shuri replied.

Steve heard Shuri, but he was still puzzled by the other voice. Phil Coulson couldn't possibly be in the room with him. He was stuck in the soul stone.

"I'll run a few tests," Shuri sighed.

"No need," Steve replied without opening his eyes, "I'm here." He paused just a moment before asking the question he most needed answered, "Where's Natasha?"

"I'm here, Steve," Natasha answered quickly. "I'm right here." She reached out and took his hand.

Steve opened his eyes and smiled. He could see her. She was still young and beautiful. Shuri and Coulson hadn't aged either. "You kept your promise."

"To you? Always," she replied. "How do you feel?"

"Like I've had too long of a nap, but I can see. I think, no, I know, I'm healed."

"Good," she replied. "Glad you're rested, you won't be sleeping much for awhile." Steve gave her a puzzled look. "Are you ready to see your daughter? She's beautiful. She has a great set of lungs and likes to use them to scream every few hours. She doesn't sleep much, because her serum makes her require very little rest. And, she eats constantly thanks to your incredible metabolism," Natasha paused, "but I think she's the most perfect baby I've ever laid eyes on."

Steve smiled. "We have a daughter."

"We do. She's almost a week old. It took a little time to get you back to us."

"Where is she?"

Natasha nodded to Phil and he left the room to get the baby. "I've been calling her Sarah after your mom. I hope that's okay."

"It's perfect. Thank you, Nat."

"Coulson has been here since she was born. He's ready for you to help him run Shield. I think he wants more time with May. Tony has a place ready for our little family. We can go home. We aren't fugitives anymore."

"I have some questions about that. Didn't expect to hear Phil Coulson when I woke up."

"Strange found a way. It turns out there was a loophole. We didn't use the soul stone. We returned it. Coulson is back and he's completely fine. We didn't have to trade anyone's life for this victory."

Phil returned with Wanda who was holding his daughter. Natasha immediately took the baby into her arms and brought her close to him. "She's beautiful, Nat. She has your hair."

"And your eyes and super soldier serum. Do you want to hold her?"

"More than anything."

"We should probably give these two a little privacy," Phil whispered as he motioned the others out of the room.

Natasha scooted Steve over and joined him on the bed before placing the very alert infant into his arms. "Sarah, this is your daddy. He's a hero and he'll always protect you, and so will I."

 **1 Year Anniversary of Victory**

"You look beautiful, Aunt Nat," Cassie giggled as she touched Natasha's veil. "Uncle Steve will love your dress."

"Thank you, Cassie, and thanks for being one of my flower girls. You and Lila have a very important job."

The little girl grinned widely. "Is it true what my daddy said about you?"

Natasha laughed. "Depends on what he said."

"He said you took care of me when he and mommy couldn't-the first time."

Natasha nodded. "I did."

Cassie gave Natasha a big hug. "Thank you. I'm sorry I don't remember."

"Oh, Cassie, taking care of you made that really hard time better for all of us. We wouldn't have made it without you and Morgan to remind us why we needed to fight for a better future. Right now, I'll remember for both of us, and, someday when you are older and if you want to, I'll share those memories with you."

"And train me like Daddy said you did?"

"Sure, if I can't talk you into becoming an accountant," Natasha laughed. Cassie just gave her a confused look.

Clint and Laura entered the room with Wanda and Lila tagging along behind them. Wanda was carrying a wiggly Sarah. Natasha smiled at her bridal party.

"I think it's time for me to give away the bride," Clint grinned. "About time you two got hitched."

Natasha smiled and kissed her cooing daughter. "I couldn't agree more. Let's not keep my groom waiting."

 **10 Years, 6 Months, and 2 Days post Victory**

"Cassie, look alive. You've got incoming," Natasha called over the comms. "Cooper, I need you on the east side of the building. Get us an exit."

"On it," Cooper replied. "You'd think she was in a hurry or something," he added.

"Pretty sure Uncle Steve won't let them start without you," Cassie replied after taking out two of the terrorists.

"Have some respect for our leader," Wanda said. "Comms for mission only. Neither of you are Tony Stark."

Natasha smiled. Wanda was a great second in command. As much as Natasha hated being in the field without any of the original Avengers, she loved her new team and she trusted them completely. She'd thought Steve was crazy when he handed the team over to her, but it hadn't taken much convincing. It had been her who had persuaded him to take his current gig after all, a gig she desperately wanted to see him officially start. "Speed it up, Avengers. We've got somewhere to be."

 **4 Hours Later**

Natasha stood beside Sarah, Steve's mother's well-worn bible in her hand, as Steve stepped up to the podium. Tony and Pepper were right behind her. The other Avengers, past and present, were looking on from the crowd, and everyone was smiling as Steve took his oath.

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of presidency of the United States of America, and will, to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

There was only one word that came to mind as Natasha looked from her husband to the others on the stage and out into the large crowd of people who had gather to watch, and that word was hope. They'd lost hope many times but never had it seemed so distant as it had been when the titan had snapped his fingers. Today, it was renewed completely as America celebrated it's election of Captain America to the office of presidency in a historic landslide victory. Natasha shook her head a bit in disbelief at the way her own path had changed. She'd gone from an assassin to the leader of the Avengers, from Aunty Nat to Mommy, and from Russian spy to First Lady. Her hope was restored and her heart was full.

 **And, that's the end, folks. Thanks for reading.**


End file.
